Letter to the Hon. Maura Healey, Massachusetts Attorney General - Provide Progress Report on NECC Victims' Compensation Program

Letter

Dear Attorney General Healey:

We write today requesting a progress report on the implementation of a compensation program for which your office received $40 million on September 29, 2016.

As you know, in October 2012, the New England Compounding Center (NECC) distributed contaminated steroid injections, which were subsequently administered to patients in 23 states. This led to 778 cases of diagnosed fungal infections, resulting in the death of 76 individuals.

After a two-year investigation, 14 individuals were charged with 131 criminal acts, including a combined 25 counts of second degree murder for deaths occurring in Michigan, Tennessee, Indiana, Virginia, Maryland, Florida, and North Carolina. On Wednesday, March 22, 2017, a Boston jury found lead defendant Barry Cadden guilty of racketeering and mail fraud for his role in this tragedy.

The testimonies of those affected are heartbreaking. Children have lost their mothers and fathers, parents have buried their sons and daughters, and the lives of hundreds of families have been irretrievably altered. They came to us seeking justice.

Last spring we wrote to then-Director Shaun Donovan at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) requesting that OMB and Department of Justice (DOJ) provide Victims Compensation funding for those affected by this outbreak. After working with OMB and DOJ to achieve a resolution the DOJ set aside $40 million so your office could administer a victim's compensation program.

While this is certainly progress, we remain steadfast in our commitment to seeing these claims processed and paid in a timely manner. The victims -- our constituents -- continue to suffer as a result of the injections they received almost 5 years ago. This suffering need not be compounded by financial distress, but for far too many, their bills continue to go unpaid.

Time is of the essence. Therefore, we respectfully request a progress report on the development and implementation of the NECC Victims' Compensation Program, and we hope to hear from you by May 17, 2017, so that we may attend to the significant concerns of our constituents.