After the Gambia incident, the Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan has now claimed that 18 children died after consuming cough syrup produced by Marion Biotech in Noida.
The Union government was looking for cause and effect after Uzbekistan on Wednesday linked the deaths of 18 children to Indian cough syrup, sources said.
The Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan claimed that 18 children in the country died after consuming drugs made by an Indian pharmaceutical company, but similar cases were reported in Gambia. The company in question, Marion Biotech, was registered in Uzbekistan in 2012.
The batch of syrup contained ethylene glycol, which, according to the Ministry, was a poisonous substance. The syrup was brought to Uzbekistan by Quramax Medical LLC, the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
According to the ministry, pre-work tests showed that this Doc-1 Max syrup kit contains ethylene glycol. This substance is poisonous, and about 1-2 ml/kg of a 95% concentrated solution can cause serious changes in the patient’s health, including vomiting, fainting, convulsions, cardiovascular disease, and acute renal failure.
Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Health said in a statement that the dead children had consumed Dok-1 Max syrup manufactured by Marion Biotech in Noida. So far, 18 out of 21 children with acute respiratory diseases have died after taking Doc-1 Max syrup, the ministry said.
“It was found that the deceased children took this drug at home.”
times a day for 2–7 days, a total of 2.5–5 ml, which exceeds the normal dose of the drug for children,” the statement said.
WHO is contacting the health authorities in Uzbekistan and is ready to assist in further investigations.
In Gambia, 66 children previously died, allegedly after consuming cough syrups made in India. However, the Gambian government has denied any link between the child deaths and Indian cough syrups.
Bhagwant Khuba, the Federal Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister, in his written reply to a member of the Rajya Sabha, said: “According to the report of the government analyst, the samples were found to be standard. The said samples were also found to be negative for both diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol (EG).
“Based on tests conducted as per rules, the State Drug Controller for Haryana has issued a show-cause notice.” M/s Maiden Pharma 07.10.2022 Drugs Regulations, 1945, 85(2). Further, an order issued under Section 22(1)(d) of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 19
“To M/s Maiden Pharmaceuticals Limited, Sonepat, Haryana, on 10.11.2022, suspending all manufacturing activities of M/s Maiden Pharmaceuticals at Sonepat with immediate effect in the public interest,” he added in his reply.
According to DCGI’s December 13 email response to Dr. Rogerio Gaspar, Corporate Director, Regulation and Prequalification, WHO, on December 6, “(WHO) was informed that these Products were tested and sent to a government laboratory for testing according to current regulations. From the government laboratory, according to the test reports received, all control samples of the
Products were found to be within specifications. In addition, DEG and EG were not found or detected in those products. according to the test reports. These reports were submitted to the above-mentioned technical committee, which reviewed them on various aspects.
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