In Boston, a federal grand jury has started issuing subpoenas to employees of the New England Compounding Center (NECC), the pharmacy facility that manufactured the tainted steroid injections that have led to a nationwide outbreak of fungal meningitis. Some subpoenas have also been issued to employees of a related company called Medical Sales Management of Framingham, which provided administrative and sales support for NECC.
The grand jury expects to hear from some witnesses in federal court as soon as next week. As this development shows, federal prosecutors are seriously pursuing potential criminal charges against the companies and people who are deemed responsible for the deadly outbreak. In October, criminal investigators collected boxes of documents and other forms of evidence from the offices of NECC.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a total of 36 people have died so far, and over 500 people have contracted fungal meningitis after receiving NECC cortisone shots in their joints or back. Federal prosecutors are expected to focus on three main potential charges:
- Fraud
- Selling tainted drugs, and thereby violating the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
- Defrauding Medicaid or Medicare
These charges carry a potential maximum of 3 to 20 years in prison for convicted offenders. Typically, when a large company is charged of these crimes, they often settle with the federal government to avoid conviction. However, given the number of deaths that have been caused by the outbreak, defense lawyers believe that the prosecutors may seek prison sentences for convicted executives.
If you have developed fungal meningitis as a result of tainted NECC steroid injections, please contact The Cochran Firm today to schedule a free case evaluation with an experienced personal injury lawyer. We can help you obtain the compensation you deserve.
