Thursday, July 7, 2016
$40 Million May Go to Outbreak Victims
By Walter F. Roche Jr.
Up to $40 million in additional assistance could be available for the hundreds of victims of the 2012 deadly fungal meningitis outbreak.
U.S. Rep. Mike Bishop, a Michigan Republican, announced today that the U.S. Justice Department had agreed to set aside $40 million from a national crime victims' compensation fund for payments to the victims of the outbreak.
A total of 778 patients from across the country were sickened during the outbreak blamed on the New England Compounding Center, a defunct drug compounding firm in Framingham, Mass. Seventy-seven of those patients died with one death coming in March.
Bishop's district was one of the hardest hit with 15 area patients dying as a result.
"Every victims deserves an advocate. It's been nearly four long years for these victims and their families," Bishop said in an announcement of the DOJ action.
Bishop was joined by more than a dozen other members of Congress in a lobbying effort to get the funds released.
DOJ and U.S. Office of Management and Budget officials had disagreed with each other over the use of the fund for outbreak victims. Some had argued that the funds should go only to victims of violent crimes.
Bishop said that the funds would be distributed through the Massachusetts' Attorney General's office, since NECC was located in that state.
Bishop said further details on the distribution of the funds would be forthcoming.
The $40 million will be in addition to some $200 million set aside in the bankruptcy of NECC. Some payments from that fund to victims are expected to go out next month.
Fourteen former employees and owners of NECC have been indicted and await trial on charges ranging from second degree murder to racketeering and wire and mail fraud. All have entered not guilty pleas.
Contact: wfrochejr999@gmail.com
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Since I heard this I can't stop crying! A true voice for the victims has finally been heard! Amen and hallelujah!
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ReplyDeleteI suffered horribly from two fungus infected shots.two hearts attacks kidney failure liver failure. Months and months of medications that has riddled me with all sort of after effects hearing loss hair loss blindness memory loss.major financial loss .sold my house so I wouldn't lose it . sold all my assets .Before I had gotten theses shots I had returned to school for better carreer to more productive citizen l had barely graduated to a new life ahead me , only to nearly die from my brain swelling and abscesses eating my flesh and nerve bundle. From Necc garbage products .Now after 4 yrs the Department of Justice which I am thankful for is trying to help us.Please just pay us the victims, please dont put the money in the hands of the courts or the lawyers.I beg you please pay us the truely injured victims and those who died.!
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ReplyDeleteWe all have suffered just as much as you. Be patient. The lawyers and the lien holders can't touch this money.
DeleteIn the year 2012 between July in August I received three tainted shots. I have been very ill ever since any and as we speak I'm waiting to see my infectious disease doctor. What I want to thank you Rep. Mike Bishop and all the other representatives advocated for all of us. This means so much more to so many people than the money alone. It confirms that we Will not be forgotten now or long after we're gone. We hope it doesn't stop here and that laws or past to prevent this from ever happening again. I was discouraged that more representatives did not sign on especially those who had victims of fungal meningitis in there State. Now when I seen the commercials to go to Michigan I'll look at them in a different way. Unfortunately, I don't think I will be able to visit anytime soon. God bless and thank you again well you Never give up on us, thank you to all who continued to fight and advocate for us. God bless
ReplyDeleteM. R. Kennedy: I'm not certain, but I believe you and I are in the same state, and we were/are the only 2 in our state to contract Fungal Meningitis. Our names were both mentioned in a decision by Judge Zobel.
DeleteIn any case, I was wondering if you had expressed any preference to your/our(?) attorneys in Boston regarding remanding of our local cases?
Best to you.
L. G. M.
Those of in Michigan who've been affected have written our congressmen and women to get this done. I actually received a phone call from one of our representatives,Debbie Stabenow, in which she stated she was working hard with Congressman Bishop to get this passed. It's nice to know our voices were heard. Hopefully this will come to fruition. Thank you to everyone who worked hard on this!
ReplyDeleteIt's good to hear you got a response from your Representative's office. I wrote my Senator, Representative and the President.
ReplyDeleteDidn't get a response of any kind from anyone.