A Massachusetts pharmacist, Glenn Chin, has agreed to plead no contest to involuntary manslaughter in connection with the deaths of 11 Michigan residents in a 2012 U.S. meningitis outbreak. The deal includes a 7 1/2-year prison sentence, with credit for his current federal sentence for other crimes related to the outbreak. Chin supervised the production of tainted steroids at the New England Compounding Center, where a lab was found to be contaminated with mold, insects, and cracks.
Michigan is the only state to charge Chin and another executive, Barry Cadden, for the deaths associated with the outbreak. More than 700 people in 20 states were affected, with dozens losing their lives due to the tainted steroids. Chin is currently serving a federal sentence for racketeering, fraud, and other crimes and is unlikely to serve additional time in Michigan’s custody due to credit for his federal sentence. Cadden also pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter in Michigan and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Chin, now 56, expressed remorse for the tragedy in a Boston court, stating, “I am truly sorry that this ever occurred.” The deal with Chin avoids a trial that was originally planned for November. Investigations revealed that the laboratory’s “clean room” where the steroids were prepared, was in a deplorable condition, which may have contributed to the contamination. Chin’s attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comments on the case.
The plea agreements in Michigan mark a significant development in the legal proceedings surrounding the deadly meningitis outbreak that affected hundreds of people across the country. The victims and their families have been seeking justice for years, and the agreements with Chin and Cadden bring some closure to the tragic events. The state attorney general’s office informed the families of the plea deal in an email and stated that Chin will appear in Livingston County court next week to formalize the agreement.
The tainted steroids from the New England Compounding Center caused widespread devastation, leading to numerous illnesses and deaths. The cases in Michigan represent a small fraction of the impact of the outbreak, which affected multiple states and resulted in significant damage to public health. The convictions of Chin and Cadden on manslaughter charges serve as a reminder of the importance of maintaining quality and safety standards in pharmaceutical manufacturing to prevent such tragedies in the future. The legal proceedings in Michigan may offer some closure to the families of the victims as they continue to seek justice for their lost loved ones.
