After 66 children died in the Gambia, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a warning about four cough syrups made in India.
Following the deaths of 66 children in the Gambia, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a notice on four cough syrups made in India.
The World Health Organization (WHO) urged consumers not to take more than four fever, cold, and cough syrups produced by an Indian business on Wednesday. This occurs after 66 children died in Gambia.
The cough syrups are produced by Maiden Pharmaceuticals, a company based in Haryana, and include Promethazine Oral Solution, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff Baby Cough Syrup, and Magrip N Cold Syrup.
“Laboratory analysis of samples of each of the four products confirms that they contain unacceptable amounts of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol as contaminants. To date, these four products have been identified in Gambia, but may have been distributed, through informal markets, to other countries or regions,” the WHO said in the alert.
The global health organisation also stated that up until they are evaluated by the appropriate national regulatory authorities, all batches of the items “should be considered unsafe.”
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), which was told of the problem on September 29, has reportedly already begun an investigation. According to reports, the pharmaceutical company has only so far sold the drugs to Gambia.
Four out of the 23 samples examined by the WHO were found to contain diethylene glycol or ethylene glycol contamination, the Indian Express said.
It is important to know that chemicals like Diethylene Glycol and Ethylene Glycol can have hazardous side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, difficulty urinating, headaches, changed mental status, and acute kidney injury that may be fatal.
WHO has also emphasised the need for governments to strengthen supply chain surveillance in order to find and remove any subpar goods.
The infected products have been discovered to be in use in The Gambia as of right now, but it is possible that they could find their way to other nations through unofficial marketplaces.
According to WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, consuming the items causes “active renal damage” in youngsters.
The national regulatory authorities must review each batch of the products before the global health organisation can pronounce them safe for use. The WHO claimed that it is interviewing the business and the Indian regulatory bodies.
Please don’t utilise these inferior products if you have them. “You are advised to seek immediate medical advice from a qualified healthcare provider if you or someone you know has used these products or experienced any adverse reactions or events after use, and to report the incident to the National Regulatory Authority or National Pharmacovigilance Center,” the WHO alert advised.
The national authorities have reportedly been requested to report any of these inferior products found in their nations.
The four medications are cough and cold syrups made by the Indian company Maiden Pharmaceuticals Limited. WHO Director General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was quoted in a tweet by the organisation as saying, “WHO is pursuing additional investigations with the company and regulatory authorities in India.
At least three kids perished in New Delhi last year after ingesting a cough syrup containing dextromethorphan, one of the four syrups WHO has warned consumers about.
Diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol are harmful to humans when consumed and can be lethal, according to the WHO.
According to the WHO, toxic consequences can include acute kidney injury, which may result in death, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, the inability to pass urine, headaches, altered mental status, and these.
Maiden Pharmaceuticals, based in New Delhi, declined to comment on the situation. The government of the Gambia announced last month that it was also looking into the killings.
An increase in acute kidney damage cases among children under the age of five was discovered in late July, prompting the official declaration.
The WHO Director General also stated that in order to protect patients from additional harm, WHO advises that all nations identify and halt the distribution of these items.
The Haryana regulatory authorities are currently conducting an urgent inquiry into the incident on behalf of the DSCO. According to a Reuters article, the New Delhi-based business declined to comment.
After there was a spike in cases of acute renal injury among children under the age of five in late July, the Gambia’s government had previously stated that it was also looking into the deaths.
At least three kids perished in New Delhi last year after ingesting a cough syrup containing dextromethorphan, one of the four syrups WHO has warned consumers about.
