Former Pharmacists Sentenced Over 2012 Fungal Meningitis Outbreak

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Providence(WLNE)– A Cumberland woman was one of two former pharmacists sentenced for their connection to a 2012 fungal meningitis outbreak, according to a statement released by the Massachusetts U.S. attorneys. 

Michelle L. Thomas, 35, was sentenced to a year of probation for her role in the deadly outbreak. 

Kathy S. Chin, 47, of Canton, Massachusetts was sentenced to two years of probation.

The two former pharmacists were “convicted by a federal jury of two and four felony counts, respectively, of dispensing drugs without valid prescriptions with the intent to defraud or mislead government regulators and customers”, according to the statement.

The two had been employed by the New England Compounding Center, a pharmacy that has been linked to a 2012 fungal meningitis outbreak.

NECC “routinely dispensed drugs in bulk without valid prescriptions,” according to the statement.

Supervisory pharmacist Glenn Chin, 49, of Canton, was sentenced in January for his role in the outbreak. Chin had been responsible for producing “contaminated drugs that killed dozens and grievously harmed over 750 people across the country,” said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling.

“Thomas was convicted of approving shipments of drugs for patients with names such as L.L. Bean, Filet O’Fish, Rug Doctor, Squeaky Wheel, Dingo Boney, Coco Puff, and Harry Potter, among others,” court documents stated.

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