Barry Cadden, the co-founder of the New England Compounding Center (NECC) in Massachusetts, pleaded no contest to 11 counts of involuntary manslaughter in Michigan on Monday. This plea deal is in connection to the deadly national meningitis outbreak in 2012 that was linked to contaminated drugs produced by NECC. Cadden was sentenced to serve between 10 to 15 years in prison, which will run concurrently with his current 14 1/2-year federal sentence for fraud and other crimes.

The outbreak affected about 800 patients in 20 states, resulting in fungal meningitis or other infections, with approximately 100 deaths reported. In Michigan alone, at least 11 residents died from the contaminated drugs. Attorney General Dana Nessel stated that Cadden's disregard for basic safety rules and practices led to the tragic deaths of these Michigan patients. Cadden's sentencing is scheduled for April 18.

The NECC was found to have cut corners to boost profits, neglected proper disinfection procedures, shipped drugs before receiving test results, and ignored warnings about the unsafe methods being used. Prosecutors in Boston revealed that the lab dispensed drugs in bulk without valid prescriptions, using fictional and celebrity names on fake prescriptions to distribute drugs.

Cadden's attorney declined to comment on the recent plea deal. This case is part of a larger legal battle involving multiple individuals connected to the NECC, with more than a dozen people convicted in connection to the outbreak. The NECC and its affiliated companies reached a $200 million settlement in 2015 with victims and their families across the US, including $10.5 million designated for the Michigan victims and their families.