India's cough syrup kills children: WHO declares 4 cough syrups made in Haryana deadly, 66 children die in Gambia; Sales continued in many countries including India

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued an alert about 4 cough syrups manufactured by an Indian pharmaceutical company. WHO said these products do not meet the standards. It is not safe, especially in children as its use can cause serious problems or even death.

The WHO said 66 children in The Gambia died of kidney problems. Children may have died by consuming this syrup. This product is also currently found only in Gambia.

WHO has declared a medical product alert. This is very serious not only for countries like Gambia but also for India. If the incident is related to children, the meaning of the alert becomes wider. There are many questions.. like the detailed report of WHO, the Indian company, where it is manufactured, are these syrups being sold in India too, are they really dangerous?

First read the answer to these questions, the ingredients mentioned in the WHO report.. Bhaskar’s research on it

Company shuts down website: Bhaskar interacted with medical experts and officials soon after issuing the alert. It was learned that the company in question against the syrup has closed its website, so that people cannot get more information.

They enhance taste: Dr. Vivek Sharma, pediatrician and pediatrician, said that the compounds diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol mentioned in the WHO report are carbon components. It has neither smell nor color. It is swallowed. It is added to children’s syrups so that they can drink easily.

Fatal in case of overdose: These ingredients can be mixed in medicines up to a maximum of 0.14 mg per kg. If it is mixed in excess of 1 gram per kg it can cause death. Neither the WHO nor these companies have disclosed that what was the quantity of these ingredients in the medicine that caused the death?

These ingredients affect humans in 3 stages

First stage: Vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain starts in the first two days. It is also called minor coma.

Second stage: Kidney failure occurs on the third-fourth day. Difficulty urinating. Blood pressure increases. Heart beat also becomes irregular.

Third stage: Paralysis may occur from fifth to tenth day. A person may go into a deep coma. Death may also occur. Once a patient’s condition becomes critical due to these ingredients, even if he is saved, the kidney problem remains. He may also need dialysis.

First question: What is in the detailed WHO report?

1. Syrup ingredients are toxic to humans

The WHO said that in September 2022, four cough syrups were used in Gambia. It was not criterion based. Lab tests revealed that all the syrups contained unacceptably high levels of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol. This was unnecessary. Both these ingredients are toxic to humans and can prove fatal.

2. These ingredients can cause death

The ingredients included in this syrup have a toxic effect on the human body. These include abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, incontinence, headache, unstable mental status and kidney injury, all of which can cause death.

3. Children are most at risk

All batches of this product should be considered unsafe until verified by a national monitoring organization. This is most dangerous for children. This can also lead to their death. This product should be prevented from spreading further. These should be recognized immediately, so that they do not harm more patients.

4. A syrup producer company from Haryana, named all the four syrups

The WHO said that these four syrups are manufactured by Maiden Pharmaceutical Company of Haryana. The names of the four cough syrups in question are Promethazine Oral Solution, Cofexmaline Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff Baby Cough Syrup and Magrip N Cold Syrup. The pharmaceutical company is yet to confirm the safety and quality of this syrup to WHO
T is not guaranteed.

5. This syrup is sent illegally

WHO has written in its report that the countries to which these products have been supplied and how they have been supplied should be identified immediately. Such illegal markets should also be identified. All medical products must be approved and sold by officially licensed suppliers. The authenticity and actual condition of the product should be checked very closely. If in doubt, consult a medical expert.

6. Warning – Report immediately if you notice any side effects.

The WHO said not to use such low quality products at all. If you or anyone else are using such products and experience any serious side effects, consult a medical expert immediately. Apart from this inform the institutions of your country about this matter.

Second question: What steps were taken after the WHO report?

After the deaths in Gambia, the Indian government has launched its own investigation. The Ministry of Health has confirmed this. The Drug Controller General of India was informed about the death by the WHO last month. DCGI has since started its investigation. State government officials are also involved in this. The WHO has asked health and medical institutions in other countries to notify them immediately if any such products are identified.

Question 3: Is the syrup only sent to Gambia, also sold in India?

The WHO report makes it clear that these products are not limited to Gambia. In Gambia, after the deaths of children, it was identified and found that its contents were lethal. WHO has expressed apprehension that these syrups may have been sent to other countries through illegal and unofficial channels. As far as India is concerned, when we checked we found that all these cough syrups are present in the Indian market as well. These are also available through medical websites.

Fourth question: Which is the company of Haryana?

Haryana’s Maiden Pharmaceutical Limited is named in the WHO report. The company was registered on 22 November 1990. The general meeting of this four-director company was held in November last year. The company is active on paper, but has not filled its balance sheet this year.