A year after a meningitis outbreak from contaminated pain injections killed at least 64 people and sickened hundreds, Congress is ready to increase federal oversight over compounding pharmacies that custom-mix medications. Before the bill reaches President Obama's desk, it must clear a hurdle put in its path by Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) in his effort to discredit the president's health-care overhaul. A test vote is set for Tuesday evening. The legislation, passed by the House in September, also creates a national system for tracking prescription drugs from manufacturers to retail pharmacies, first through serial numbers on bottles and containers and later through electronic codes.
