$12.75 Million Sent to Outbreak Victims

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

A little over 500 of the victims from a 2012 fungal meningitis outbreak have won approval for payment from a $40 million fund being administered by the office of Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey.
According to office spokeswoman Chloe Gotsis, thus far 371 checks totaling $12.75 million were sent out in two waves for applicants who were found eligible. The first set of checks went out in December of last year. A second wave went out in March.
Overall she said 538 of the 748 applicants have been approved for payment. Approximately 262 of those claimants have been paid in full.
She said a third wave is expected to go out this summer. She noted that applicants must submit their applications by a June 30 deadline. That deadline already has been extended twice.
The fund was obtained from a national fund maintained by the U.S. Justice Department.
Michigan Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Bishop led the efforts to get approval for the fund. His district was among the hardest hit.
The 2012 outbreak was cause by contaminated steroids manufactured by the now defunct New England Compounding Center which was located in Framingham, Mass. At least 76 victims died out of a total of 778 who were sickened.
Information on the application process can be found at https://www.mass.gov/mass-necc-program.
Contact:wfrochejr999@gmail.com