According to Uzbekistan, at least 18 country residents have died as a result of allegedly ingesting cough medication made in India.
In a statement, the Uzbek health ministry revealed that the youngsters who died had taken the cough medicine Doc-1 Max, which is produced by Noida-based Marion Biotech.
India has opened an investigation into the claims. Marion Biotech’s Noida facility has stopped producing cough syrup until samples are being analysed.
The laboratory testing of a batch of syrups revealed “the presence of ethylene glycol,” a hazardous chemical, according to the Uzbek health ministry.
Additionally, it claimed that without a doctor’s prescription, either by the children’s parents or on the advice of pharmacists, the syrup was administered to kids at home at amounts that were higher than those recommended for kids.
According to the ministry, it was discovered that the kids had been taking this syrup in excess of the recommended dose for 2 to 7 days at home, in doses of 2.5 to 5 ml three to four times per day, before being sent to the hospital.
The parents utilised the syrup to treat their colds.
According to the statement, Doc-1 Max tablets and syrups have been removed from sale in all pharmacies across the nation following the deaths of 18 children, and seven staff have been let go for failing to act quickly enough to analyse the problem and take appropriate action.
It is known that teams from the Uttar Pradesh Drugs Controlling and Licensing Authority and the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO – north zone) are working together to undertake an investigation.
The pharmaceutical business reported that samples of the cough syrup were taken from its production facility and that they were now awaiting the results of the tests.
“The administration is looking into the fatalities, which we deplore. We’ll act in accordance with the report “said Hasan Raza, director of legal affairs at Marion Biotech Pharma.
Uzbekistan was also asked for a report on the casualty assessment.
India-made cough syrups have been the subject of scrutiny twice in the past year.
Cough medications made by Maiden Pharmaceuticals, based in Haryana, were blamed for the deaths of 70 children in the Gambia earlier this year.
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization had closed its Sonepat facility in October due to a manufacturing standard infraction.
Prior to this, the WHO had stated that a laboratory examination of Maiden cough syrup had revealed “unacceptable” levels of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol, both of which are poisonous and can cause acute kidney impairment.
In response to the WHO, the Drugs Controller General, VG Somani, stated that testing conducted at government laboratories on samples of Maiden’s products had “been found to be compliant with standards” and that no harmful chemical had been found in them.
