New Delhi: The Uzbekistan government has alleged that 18 children have died in the central Asian nation following the consumption of cough syrup produced by an Indian pharmaceutical firm Marion Biotech.
“To date, 18 out of 21 children with acute respiratory disease have died as a result of taking Doc-1 Max syrup manufactured by the Indian company Marion Biotech Pvt Ltd,” the Uzbekistan Health Ministry said in a statement.
“It was found that the deceased children, before admission to hospital treatment, took this drug at home for 2-7 days 3-4 times a day, 2.5-5 ml, which exceeds the standard dose of the drug for children.”
The Union Health Ministry sources didn’t respond to DH’s queries on the incident. Still, they maintained that a file was placed before Health Minister Manuskh Mandaviya, who also heads the Department of Pharmaceuticals as the Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers. Noida-based Marion Biotech also didn’t respond to phone calls.
The press statement from the Uzbekistan Health Ministry identifies two factors behind the tragedy — excess doses of the medicine in kids who don’t require the drug and contamination of ethylene glycol — one of the two toxic chemicals found in the Gambian case.
“All children were given the drug without a doctor’s prescription. Since the main component of the drug is paracetamol, Doc-1 Max syrup was incorrectly used by parents as an anti-cold remedy on their own or the recommendation of pharmacy sellers. This was the reason for the deterioration of the condition of patients,” the Uzbek Ministry said.
“Preliminary laboratory studies have shown that this series of Doc-1 Max syrup contains ethylene glycol. This substance is toxic, and about 1-2 ml/kg of a 95% concentrated solution can cause serious changes in the patient’s health, such as vomiting, fainting, convulsions, cardiovascular problems and acute kidney failure,” Uzbekistan authorities said.
The World Health Organisation in October flagged the presence of ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol as toxic contaminants in four cough syrup samples (made by Maiden Pharmaceuticals, Haryana) that are reportedly linked to the deaths of 70 children in The Gambia. But this was not the first time EG and DEG were found in cough syrups made in India, as there have been many similar cases in the past with fatal consequences.
The Congress on Thursday slammed the Centre and demanded the “strictest” action against the Uzbekistan government’s claim that 18 children died in the Central Asian nation after consuming cough syrup made by an Indian manufacturer.
Taking to Twitter, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said, “Made in India cough syrups seem to be deadly. First, it was the deaths of 70 kids in Gambia & now it is that of 18 children in Uzbekistan. Modi Sarkar must stop boasting about India being a pharmacy to the world & take strictest action.”
In a statement, the Uzbek Health ministry said that “18 out of 21 children with acute respiratory disease have died as a result of taking Doc-1 Max syrup manufactured by the Indian company Marion Biotech Pvt Ltd”.
The Ministry further alleged that the victims “took this drug at home for 2-7 days 3-4 times a day, 2.5-5 ml, which exceeds the standard dose of the drug for children” before they were hospitalised.
The Centre is yet to respond to the allegation.
In October, the World Health Organization (WHO) had issued an alert for four “contaminated” India-made medicines, chiefly for paediatric use, identified in the west African nation of The Gambia and found to contain chemicals that were toxic and potentially fatal after 66 child deaths.
The four medicines — cough and cold syrups — were produced by the Haryana-based Maiden Pharmaceuticals Limited.
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