Centre seeks detailed report on deaths due to Indian cough syrup in Uzbekistan

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New
Delhi,
Dec
29:
The
Union
government
has
sought
a
causality
status
after
Uzbekistan
on
Wednesday
linked
the
deaths
of
18
kids
to
an
Indian
cough
syrup,
according
to
India
Today
reports.

Sources
told
PTI
that
the
Drugs
Controller
General
of
India
(DCGI)
has
sought
more
information
regarding
the
incident
from
the
Uzbek
regulator.
An
inspection
jointly
conducted
by
the
central
drugs
regulatory
team
of
north
zone
and
state
drugs
regulatory
team
was
also
taken
during
which
samples
of
the
drugs
were
also
lifted.

The
health
ministry
of
Uzbekistan
has
claimed
that
the
children
who
died
had
consumed
cough
syrup
‘Doc-1
Max’ manufactured
by
Noida-based
Marion
Biotech.
“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
statement
noted.

No
premature
link
between
Gambia
child
deaths,
Indian
cough
syrups:
DGCI
snubs
WHO’s
alert

According
to
the
ministry,
chemical
ethylene
glycol
–
the
deadly
chemical
which
was
held
responsible
for
deaths
in
the
Gambia-
was
found
in
a
batch
of
syrup
during
laboratory
tests.

It
further
added
that
it
had
dismissed
seven
employees
for
negligence
for
not
analysing
the
deaths
in
a
timely
manner
and
not
taking
the
necessary
measures.
It
said
it
had
taken
disciplinary
measures
against
some
“specialists”,
without
specifying
what
role
the
specialists
had.
It
is
also
withdrawing
the
Doc-1
Max
tablets
and
syrups
from
all
pharmacies.

Company
halts
manufacturing,
CDSCO
initiates
probe

Hasan
Harris,
legal
representative
of
Mario
Biotech,
said
the
governments
of
both
countries
is
looking
into
the
matter
and
inquiring.
”There
is
no
problem
from
our
end
and
no
issue
in
testing.
We
have
been
there
for
the
past
ten
years.
Once
the
government
report
will
come,
we
will
look
into
it.
For
now
the
manufacturing
has
stopped,” Harris
said.

The
Central
Drugs
Standard
Control
Organisation
(CDSCO)
has
initiated
a
probe
in
connection
with
the
death
of
18
children
in
Uzbekistan
allegedly
linked
to
a
cough
syrup
manufactured
by
an
Indian
firm,
official
sources
said
on
Thursday.

Earlier
this
year,
death
of
70
children
in
Gambia
was
linked
to
cough
syrups
manufactured
by
Haryana-based
Maiden
Pharmaceuticals
following
which
the
Haryana
based
unit
was
shut
for
violation
of
manufacturing
standards.
However,
later
the
samples
tested
in
a
government
laboratory
in
India
were
found
to
be
complying
with
specifications.

Gambian
children’s
death:
India’s
cough
syrups
of
standard
quality,
no
contaminants
found,
says
govt

Congress
links
Gambia
incident
with
Uzbekistan,
BJP
hits
back

Meanwhile,
the
death
of
18
children
in
Uzbekistan
has
stirred
a
fresh
political
row
after
the
Congress
said
that
the
PM
Modi
government
should
stop
boasting
about
India
being
a
pharmacy
to
the
world.

Congress
general
secretary
Jairam
Ramesh
in
a
tweet
linked
the
deaths
of
70
kids
in
Gambia
to
the
death
of
18
children
in
Uzbekistan.
“Made
in
India
cough
syrups
seem
to
be
deadly.
First,
it
was
the
deaths
of
70
kids
in
Gambia
and
now
it
is
that
of
18
children
in
Uzbekistan.
Modi
Sarkar
must
stop
boasting
about
India
being
a
pharmacy
to
the
world
and
take
the
strictest
action,”
said
Ramesh.

Hitting
out
at
Congress,
BJP
said,
“blinded
in
its
hate
for
Modi,
Congress
continues
to
deride
India
and
its
entrepreneurial
spirit.”
”The
death
of
children
in
Gambia
had
nothing
to
do
with
the
consumption
of
cough
syrup
made
in
India.
That
has
been
clarified
by
the
Gambian
authorities
and
DCGI,
both.
But
blinded
in
its
hate
for
Modi,
Congress
continues
to
deride
India
and
its
entrepreneurial
spirit.
Shameful…,”
Malviya
tweeted.