WHO Raises Global Alarm Over Toxic Indian Cough Syrups After Child Deaths
Aphoto orf Toxic Indian Cough Syrups causing Child Deaths
A worldwide emergency health warning has been issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) on three toxic cough syrups produced in India following reports that their use had caused the deaths of a number of children in Madhya Pradesh, in the Chhindwara district. The organization has urged national health authorities to be on alert and report any time that they detect the products in their countries.
The syrups of cough that have been identified to contain thimerosal are certain batches of Coldrif by Sresan Pharmaceutical, Respifresh TR by Rednes Pharmaceuticals, and ReLife by Shape Pharma (WHO).
Lab test indicated that the medicines had diethylene glycol which is a toxic chemical that has been known to cause kidney failure, neurological and death when consumed even in small portions. Worryingly, the level was almost half a millennium greater than the maximum allowed safety level.
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The WHO said that the tainted products are dangerous to health, and they may cause serious or even life-threatening diseases. It demanded that these medicines be immediately pulled out of the market and countries were encouraged to increase vigilance in importation of pharmaceuticals.
The national drug regulator in India, Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) confirmed to WHO that the syrups were said to have been taken by children below the age of five. The regulator also said that, studies are being conducted to ascertain how the toxic ingredient made its way to the medicines.
The CDSCO in a statement stated that no such product had been exported outside India and that there was no evidence of illegal export at all. This is a guarantee at a time of an increasing international anxiety, with the past occurrence of similar incidences that have involved the exportation of contaminated medicines to other nations.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) further assured that the tainted syrups were not sold to the United States to eliminate the possibility of a possible worldwide distribution. However, the WHO accentuated that the event demonstrates the critical importance of intense quality control of the pharmaceutical supply chain, especially in developing nations with the high volume of production.
It is not the first time that the pharmaceutical industry in India has been put into question. Over the past few years, a number of situations of low quality or contaminated medicine produced in India have emerged such as those in The Gambia and Uzbekistan that led to children dying. To avoid such tragic incidents, WHO officials demanded more strict control and implementation of standards of manufacturing.
According to the experts, the recent event highlights the significance of transparency and accountability in international drug supply chain. According to the argument by public health analysts, manufacturers should have all raw materials strictly tested and production plants should be adhering to international good manufacturing practices (GMP).
The WHO once again reaffirmed that it would assist the Indian health authorities in the investigation and requested all the countries to intensify pharmacovigilance. It emphasized that the only way of eliminating potential harm was through quick identification, reporting, and recall of all contaminated products into circulation.
The organization encouraged healthcare practitioners and citizens to be vigilant and report any suspected cases of adverse reactions of the mentioned cough syrups.
