Indian pharma industry reliable supplier: MEA on death of 18 Uzbekistan children

India

oi-Prakash KL

India
is
extending
consular
assistance
to
individuals
facing
legal
action
from
the
Uzbek
government
in
connection
with
the
death
of
18
children.

New
Delhi,
Dec
29:
The
Ministry
of
External
Affairs
on
Thursday
said
that
the
Indian
pharmaceutical
industry
has
been
a
reliable
supplier
to
countries
across
the
world
following
the
allegations
made
by
the
Uzbekistan
government
that
18
children
have
died
after
taking
cough
syrup
produced
by
an
Indian
pharmaceutical
firm,
Marion
Biotech.

“Indian
pharmaceutical
industry
has
been
a
reliable
supplier
to
countries
across
the
world.
It
continues
to
be
in
various
forms
of
medicine
and
other
forms
of
pharmaceutical
products,”
ANI

quoted
MEA
spokesperson
Arindam
Bagchi
as
saying
during
a
weekly
media
briefing
in
response
to
a
question
of
whether
such
cases
are
denting
India’s
image
as
the
pharmacy
of
the
world.
“We
take
these
incidents
very
seriously
when
they
come
up.
Let’s
not
jump
the
process,”
he
added.

18
out
of
21
children
died
of
acute
respiratory
disease
after
taking
Doc-1
Max
syrup,
a
statement
from
the
Uzbekistan
Health
Ministry
said.

“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.

“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
on
the
recommendation
of
pharmacy
sellers.
And
this
was
the
reason
for
the
deterioration
of
the
condition
of
patients,”
it
added.

The
MEA
spokesperson
stated
that
India
is
extending
consular
assistance
to
individuals
facing
legal
action
from
the
Uzbek
government
in
connection
with
the
death
of
18
children.
“We
understand
that
legal
action
has
been
initiated
by
the
Uzbek
authorities
against
some
people
including
the
local
representatives
of
the
company
there.
In
that
context,
we
are
extending
consular
assistance
to
those
individual
or
individuals,”
the
MEA
spokesperson
said.

Bagchi
stated
that
MEA
has
seen
media
reports
over
the
unfortunate
deaths
of
18
children.
Citing
the
Uzbek
authorities,
he
said
the
deaths
appeared
to
have
occurred
over
a
period
of
two
months.
“We
also
understand
that
Uzbek
authorities
are
investigating
this
case,
including
whether
there
is
a
possible
link
with
the
cough
syrup
manufactured
in
India.
We
saw
a
press
release
issued
by
the
Ministry
of
Health,”
he
added.

However,
he
pointed
out
that
the
issue
has
not
been
formally
taken
up
by
the
Uzbek
authorities.
“Nevertheless,
our
embassy
has
taken
up
the
case
with
the
Uzbek
side
and
is
seeking
further
details
of
their
own
investigation,”
he
added.

This
comes
as
India
is
in
contact
with
the
national
drug
regulator
of
Uzbekistan
regarding
reports
of
India-made
cough
syrups
allegedly
linked
to
the
deaths
of
18
children
in
Uzbekistan.
“Under
directions
of
the
Union
Minister
of
Health
&
Family
Welfare
Mansukh
Mandaviya,
the
Central
Drugs
Standard
Control
Organisation
(CDSCO)
has
been
in
regular
contact
with
the
national
drug
regulator
of
Uzbekistan
regarding
the
matter
since
December
27,
2022,”
the
statement
read.

Immediately
upon
receipt
of
the
information,
a
joint
inspection
of
the
NOIDA
facility
of
the
manufacturer,
Marion
Biotech,
was
carried
out
by
UP
Drug
Control
and
CDSCO
team
and
further
action
as
appropriate
would
be
initiated
based
on
the
inspection
report,
ANI
reported.

Going
by
the
health
ministry,
Marion
Biotech
is
a
licensed
manufacturer
and
holds
license
for
manufacturing
Dok1
Max
syrup
and
tablets
for
export
purposes
granted
by
Drugs
Controller,
UP.
The
samples
of
the
cough
syrup
have
been
taken
from
the
manufacturing
premises
and
sent
to
Regional
Drugs
Testing
Laboratory
(RDTL),
Chandigarh
for
testing.

According
to
the
statement
released
by
the
Uzbek
government,
this
series
of
Doc-1
Max
syrup
contains
ethylene
glycol,
the
preliminary
laboratory
studies
showed.
“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,”
the
ministry
pointed
out.