At least 18 youngsters died after consuming pediatric syrup manufactured by Indian pharmaceutical firm Marion Biotech Pvt Ltd, Uzbekistan’s well being ministry mentioned.
The ministry mentioned 18 out of 21 youngsters who took the Doc-1 Max syrup whereas affected by an acute respiratory illness died after consuming it. It is marketed on the corporate’s web site as a therapy for chilly and flu signs.
A batch of the syrup contained ethylene glycol, which the ministry mentioned was a poisonous substance. The syrup was imported into Uzbekistan by Quramax Medical LLC, the ministry mentioned in its assertion launched on Tuesday.
It additionally mentioned the syrup was given to youngsters at house and not using a physician’s prescription, both by their dad and mom or on the recommendation of pharmacists, with doses that exceeded the usual dose for kids.
It was not instantly clear whether or not all or any of the youngsters had consumed the suspect batch or had consumed greater than the usual dose, or each.
Marion Biotech, Quramax Medical and India’s well being ministry didn’t instantly reply to a Reuters request in search of remark. An Indian authorities supply mentioned the well being ministry was trying into the matter.
India had on Tuesday launched an inspection of some drug factories throughout the nation to make sure prime quality requirements.
The Uzbek incident follows an identical one in Gambia, the place the deaths of a minimum of 70 youngsters have been blamed on cough and chilly syrups made by New Delhi-based Maiden Pharmaceuticals Ltd. Both India’s authorities and the corporate have denied the medicines have been at fault.
India is called the “pharmacy of the world” and its prescribed drugs exports have greater than doubled over the previous decade to $24.5 billion previously fiscal yr.
The Uzbek well being ministry mentioned it had dismissed seven staff for negligence for not analyzing the deaths in a well timed method and never taking the mandatory measures. It mentioned it had taken disciplinary measures in opposition to some “specialists”, with out specifying what function the specialists had.
It can also be withdrawing the Doc-1 Max tablets and syrups from all pharmacies.
