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Pharmacist arrested over fatal meningitis outbreak | Pharmacist arrested over fatal meningitis outbreak |
(2 days later) | |
An employee of a Massachusetts compounding pharmacy linked to a 2012 outbreak of meningitis that killed 64 people has been arrested. | An employee of a Massachusetts compounding pharmacy linked to a 2012 outbreak of meningitis that killed 64 people has been arrested. |
Glenn Adam Chin, a former pharmacist at the New England Compounding Center, was stopped as he tried to board a plane. | Glenn Adam Chin, a former pharmacist at the New England Compounding Center, was stopped as he tried to board a plane. |
Investigators say Mr Chin did not properly sterilise or test equipment and then hid what he was doing. | Investigators say Mr Chin did not properly sterilise or test equipment and then hid what he was doing. |
His lawyer says he is being blamed for a contamination that is not fully understood. | His lawyer says he is being blamed for a contamination that is not fully understood. |
"Mr Chin feels horrible about the consequences of this," Paul Shaw said. | "Mr Chin feels horrible about the consequences of this," Paul Shaw said. |
About 750 patients in 20 states contracted meningitis after injecting a steroid mixed by the pharmacy, which custom mixes drugs in bulk. Patients in Michigan, Tennessee and Indiana had the most infections. | |
Mr Chin was charged with one count of mail fraud, but prosecutors said they were pursuing other charges. | Mr Chin was charged with one count of mail fraud, but prosecutors said they were pursuing other charges. |
"We are looking at Mr Chin for a host of other criminal conduct," Assistant US Attorney George Varghese said, adding an investigation against others was ongoing. | "We are looking at Mr Chin for a host of other criminal conduct," Assistant US Attorney George Varghese said, adding an investigation against others was ongoing. |
Prosecutors allege he used improper methods to sterilise and test the drugs, then instructed technicians to label the drugs as properly sterilised. He also allegedly fraudulently completed cleaning logs. | Prosecutors allege he used improper methods to sterilise and test the drugs, then instructed technicians to label the drugs as properly sterilised. He also allegedly fraudulently completed cleaning logs. |
The former pharmacist's lawyer said Mr Chin was at the airport to attend a wedding in his wife's native Hong Kong, not fleeing the country. | The former pharmacist's lawyer said Mr Chin was at the airport to attend a wedding in his wife's native Hong Kong, not fleeing the country. |
"This was a publicity stunt," Mr Shaw said of the arrest, adding his family boarded the plane after Mr Chin was arrested. | "This was a publicity stunt," Mr Shaw said of the arrest, adding his family boarded the plane after Mr Chin was arrested. |
One of the family members affected by the outbreak welcomed the charges. | One of the family members affected by the outbreak welcomed the charges. |
"They should take every one of them and put the same contaminated injection in their back," Iona Rye of Michigan told the Associated Press news agency. | "They should take every one of them and put the same contaminated injection in their back," Iona Rye of Michigan told the Associated Press news agency. |
Her husband was in excellent health before receiving the injection, she said. He recovered but has some residual effects. | Her husband was in excellent health before receiving the injection, she said. He recovered but has some residual effects. |
New England Compounding Pharmacy has since given up its licence and filed for bankruptcy after hundreds of lawsuits were filed against it. | New England Compounding Pharmacy has since given up its licence and filed for bankruptcy after hundreds of lawsuits were filed against it. |
A preliminary victim's settlement of more than $100m (£61.3m) was announced last year. | A preliminary victim's settlement of more than $100m (£61.3m) was announced last year. |