Massachusetts pharmacist Glenn Chin was sentenced Oct. 11 in Michigan to 7 1/2 to 15 years in prison for his involvement in a 2012 meningitis outbreak that led to 11 deaths in Michigan and dozens more across the country, The Washington Post reported Oct. 11.
Chin pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter in August, acknowledging his responsibility in the 2012 crisis linked to contaminated steroids produced at the New England Compounding Center. He is already serving a 10 1/2-year sentence in federal prison for racketeering and fraud related to the outbreak, with the new Michigan sentence set to run concurrently, with a 6 1/2-year credit for time served.
Livingston County prosecutors highlighted Chin's role in overseeing production at the compounding center, which was found to be unsanitary, containing mold and other insects. Judge Matthew McGivney criticized Chin for prioritizing profit over patient safety, stating he was aware of the risks involved in the production processes.
Barry Gadden, Chin's boss at the compounding center also faced legal consequences and was sentenced to 10 years earlier this year after pleading no contest to involuntary manslaughter. The meningitis outbreak sickened more than 700 people in 20 states, leading to significant public health repercussions.