New England Compounding Center

New England Compounding Center (NECC) was a large-scale compounding pharmacy based in Framingham, Massachusetts, that specialized in providing customized medications to healthcare facilities. The company gained international notoriety in 2012 when its contaminated preservative-free methylprednisolone acetate injections caused a massive nationwide fungal meningitis outbreak. This public health crisis resulted in 64 deaths and nearly 800 infections across 20 states, leading to the company's immediate closure and subsequent bankruptcy. The tragedy served as a primary catalyst for the passage of the Drug Quality and Security Act of 2013, which significantly increased federal oversight of compounding pharmacies. Following the outbreak, several company executives faced criminal charges, including co-founder Barry Cadden, who was sentenced to prison.