Pharmacist Sentenced to 7 1/2 to 15 Years in Prison for Role in Meningitis Outbreak
About the Outbreak
A Massachusetts pharmacist was sentenced to 7 1/2 to 15 years in prison for his role in a 2012 national meningitis outbreak that killed dozens of people.
Chin’s Sentence
Glenn Chin, 56, pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter in the 11 Michigan deaths and was sentenced in Livingston County Circuit Court in Howell, northwest of Detroit. He already is serving a 10 1/2-year federal sentence for racketeering, fraud, and other crimes connected to the outbreak. The Michigan sentence will be served in federal prison, and he will get more than 6 1/2 years of credit for time already served.
Background of the Case
Chin supervised production at New England Compounding Center in Framingham, Massachusetts, which shipped steroids for pain relief to clinics across the country. Investigators found the lab was rife with mold and insects.
The Outbreak
More than 700 people in 20 states were sickened with fungal meningitis or other debilitating illnesses, and dozens died, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Cadden and Chin’s Connection
Michigan has been the only state to prosecute Chin and his boss, Barry Cadden, for deaths related to the scandal. Chin supervised production for Cadden, whom he referred to as the “big boss,” prosecutors said in court filings. Cadden “commanded Chin to send out untested medications to fulfill the large increase of orders without consideration of the safety of the patients they pledged to protect as pharmacists,” prosecutors said.
Sentencing Remarks
Judge Matthew J. McGivney told Chin that evidence showed he caused or encouraged employees to fail to properly test drugs for sterility, failed to properly sterilize drugs, and failed to properly clean and disinfect clean rooms. Evidence also showed that Chin directed or encouraged technicians to complete clean logs even though the rooms had not been cleaned. The judge added, “There could be no doubt that you knew the risks that you were exposing these innocent patients to. You promoted production and sales, you prioritized money, sacrificing cleaning and testing protocols that kept the medication safe for patients. Your focus on increased sales, increased margins cost people their lives.”
Conclusion
The sentencing of Glenn Chin marks the end of a long and devastating chapter in American history. The 2012 meningitis outbreak was a result of negligence and greed, and those responsible have now been held accountable. The families of the victims can finally find closure, and the public can be assured that justice has been served.
FAQs
Q: What was the purpose of New England Compounding Center?
A: New England Compounding Center was a pharmacist that shipped steroids for pain relief to clinics across the country.
Q: What was the outcome of the outbreak?
A: More than 700 people in 20 states were sickened with fungal meningitis or other debilitating illnesses, and dozens died.
Q: Who is Barry Cadden?
A: Barry Cadden is the boss of Glenn Chin and was charged with him in connection with the outbreak.
Q: What is the total sentence of Barry Cadden?
A: Cadden was sentenced to 10 years in prison and is serving his sentence at the same time as his 14 1/2-year federal sentence, with credit for time in custody since 2018.
