Published Dec 29, 2022 | 2:38 PM ⚊ Updated Dec 29, 2022 | 7:49 PM
The inspection at Marion Biotech's office in Noida Sector 67 began on Thursday, 29 December, 2022. (Creative Commons)
A team of Central agencies and the Uttar Pradesh drug department on Thursday, 29 December, carried out an inspection at the Noida office of a pharmaceutical firm whose cough syrup allegedly led to the death of 18 children in Uzbekistan.
The inspection at Marion Biotech’s office in Noida Sector 67 began on Thursday morning, Gautam Buddh Nagar Drug Inspector Vaibhav Babbar said.
The company, Marion Biotech, does not sell the cough syrup Doc-1 Max in India, and its only export has been to Uzbekistan, a state government official said.
The health ministry of Uzbekistan claimed that 18 children consumed the cough syrup before their death.
“We reported the occurrence of side effects in children as a result of taking the drug Doc-1 Max in the city of Samarkand,” said the Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan in a statement.
“To date, 18 out of 21 children with acute respiratory disease have died as a result of taking Doc-1 Max syrup,” he added.
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) of India has initiated a probe in connection with the death of the children.
Hasan Harris, the legal representative of Marion Biotech, said the governments of both countries were looking into the matter.
“There is no problem from our end and no issue in testing. We have been there for the past 10 years. Once the government report comes, we will look into it. For now, the manufacturing has stopped,” Harris said.
Earlier this year, there were reports linking the deaths of children in the Gambia to India-made cough syrups.
The Indian government said the syrups manufactured and exported were found to be of standard quality. It also claimed that accusations against these syrups impacted the image of India’s pharmaceutical products.
However, the Gambia Parliamentary Committee held Maiden Pharmaceuticals, which manufactured the medicine, responsible for the deaths of the kids.
“The Select Committee is convinced that Maiden Pharmaceuticals Limited is culpable and should be held accountable for exporting the contaminated medicines that were linked to the death of at least 70 children in the Gambia,” read the committee’s report, accessed by South First.
According to Uzbekistan’s Health Ministry, preliminary laboratory studies showed that a certain series of Doc-1 Max syrups contained ethylene glycol.
“This substance is toxic, and about 1-2 ml/kg of a 95 percent concentrated solution can cause serious changes in the patient’s health, such as vomiting, fainting, convulsions, cardiovascular problems, and acute kidney failure,” said the ministry.
Taking into account all cases of violation of the law identified by the working group of the ministry during the study, seven responsible employees were dismissed from their positions.
“Due to the fact that they were negligent and inattentive to their duties, did not analyse child mortality in a timely manner, and did not take the necessary measures, also disciplinary measures were applied to a number of specialists,” said the ministry.
The collected documents were handed over to law enforcement agencies.
Currently, tablets and syrups of the drug Doc-1 Max are withdrawn from sale in all pharmacies of the country.
The shortcomings identified on the basis of the study materials and the issue of the responsibility of medical workers will be considered at a separate meeting of the Ministry of Health.
In this regard, the ministry has asked parents to be attentive to the health of their children, and to purchase medicines in pharmacies only by prescription.
The alleged role of Indian pharma companies in the deaths of children abroad led to a verbal tussle between the BJP and the Congress on Thursday.
While the Opposition party asked the government to stop boasting about India being a pharmacy to the world and take the strictest action, the ruling party accused it of deriding India in its “hate” for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“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, [sic]” Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said on Twitter.
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.
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) December 29, 2022
The BJP hit back, with its IT department in-charge Amit Malviya replying, “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. [sic]”
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… https://t.co/BKVQw5qskI
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) December 29, 2022
(With PTI inputs)
