Pharmacist In Spinal Meningitis Outbreak Case Found Not Guilty Of Murder

FRAMINGHAM, MA—A Massachusetts pharmacist charged with second-degree murder in a deadly meningitis outbreak has been found guilty of racketeering, conspiracy and mail fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney, but was acquitted on charges of second degree murder.

Glenn Chin was a pharmacist at the New England Compounding Center in Framingham, where contaminated injections came from that ultimately killed 76 people and sickened hundreds more in 2012.

Glenn #Chin found guilty of racketeering, conspiracy and mail fraud #NECC
— U.S. Attorney MA (@DMAnews1) October" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://twitter.com/DMAnews1/s... 25, 2017

In 2012, 753 patients in 20 states were diagnosed with a fungal infection after receiving injections of preservative-free methylprednisolone acetate (MPA) manufactured by NECC. Of those 753 patients, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) initially reported that 64 patients in nine states died. The outbreak was the largest public health crisis ever caused by a pharmaceutical product, said U.S. Attorney’s Office-District of Massachusetts.

Chin was the supervising pharmacist in the clean rooms where the drugs were produced, and was charged in the deaths of 25 people in Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Florida, reports the Associated Press. Prosecutors argued that Chin ignored warning signs. Chin was also found guilty of mail fraud and racketeering charges.

Wrentham man, owner and head pharmacist Barry Cadden was sentenced in June in connection with the 2012 nationwide fungal meningitis outbreak. Cadden, 50, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 108 months in prison and three years of supervised release, and forfeiture and restitution in an amount to be determined later.

In March 2017, Cadden was convicted by a federal jury of racketeering, racketeering conspiracy, mail fraud and introduction of misbranded drugs into interstate commerce with the intent to defraud and mislead, said the U.S. Attorney’s Office-District of Massachusetts.

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