NEW DELHI: The central Asian country of Uzbekistan's government claims that cough syrup made by Indian pharmaceutical company Marion Biotech was the cause of the deaths of 18 children there.
In a statement, the Uzbekistan Health Ministry stated that "to date, 18 out of 21 children with acute respiratory disease have perished as a result of consuming Doc-1 Max syrup manufactured by the Indian business Marion Biotech Pvt Ltd."
It was discovered that the deceased children took this drug at home for 2–7 days, three–four times per day, 2.5–5 ml, which is more than the recommended dose of the drug for children. This was done before being admitted to the hospital for treatment.
To DH's inquiries regarding the incident, the Union Health Ministry sources did not answer. The Health Minister Manuskh Mandaviya, who also serves as the Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, was allegedly presented with a file, they insisted. Mandaviya also serves as the head of the Department of Pharmaceuticals. Additionally, calls to Noida-based Marion Biotech went unanswered.
According to a news release from the Uzbekistan Health Ministry, the tragedy was caused by two things: overdosing on the medication in children who didn't need it, and contamination with ethylene glycol, one of the two hazardous compounds discovered in the Gambian case.
"The medication was supplied to all of the kids without a prescription from a doctor. Since paracetamol is the primary ingredient in the medication, Doc-1 Max syrup was improperly prescribed by pharmacists or used by parents as a cold treatment. The Uzbek Ministry stated that this was the cause of the patient's conditions deteriorating.
The Doc-1 Max syrup in this series contains ethylene glycol, according to preliminary laboratory testing. 1-2 ml/kg of a 95% concentrated solution of this poisonous drug can lead to major health changes in the patient, including vomiting, fainting, seizures, cardiovascular issues, and acute kidney failure, according to Uzbekistani officials.
In four samples of cough syrup (produced by Maiden Pharmaceuticals, Haryana) that have apparently been related to the deaths of 70 children in The Gambia, the World Health Organization identified the presence of ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol as harmful pollutants in October. However, there have been numerous instances of this kind of fatality in the past where EG and DEG were discovered in cough syrups produced in India.
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