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Pharmacy head to be sentenced in deadly meningitis outbreak

Pharmacy head to be sentenced in deadly meningitis outbreak
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The co-founder of a Massachusetts compounding pharmacy is set to be sentenced in a deadly nationwide meningitis outbreak that killed more than 60 people and sickened hundreds more.

Barry Cadden was acquitted of second-degree murder charges under federal racketeering law, but convicted on conspiracy and fraud charges. Sentencing is scheduled for Monday in federal court in Boston.

Cadden was charged in connection with a 2012 fungal meningitis outbreak that was traced to contaminated injections of medical steroids made by the New England Compounding Center in Framingham.

Prosecutors say Cadden ran the center in a dangerous way by skirting industry regulations on sterility in an effort to push production and make more money.

 

Prosecutors will ask the judge to sentence him to 35 years in prison. Cadden's lawyer says he should get 2½ to 3 years.