Cough Syrups Linked To Gambia Child Deaths Found To Be Of Standard Quality: Centre

Cough syrup samples of Maiden Pharmaceuticals have been found to be of standard quality, the government has told Parliament, weeks after the WHO alerted that the firm's cough syrups could potentially be linked to the death of children in Gambia.

Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) in coordination with State Drug Controller, Haryana had carried out a joint investigation of Maiden Pharmaceuticals in Kundli, Sonepat to ascertain the facts that allegedly led to the death of 66 children in the West African country.

During the investigation, it was revealed that the State Drug Controller, Haryana had given licenses to the company for manufacture of four drugs for export only, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Bhagwanth Khuba said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on December 13.

The four drugs are -- Promethazine Oral Solution BP, KOFEXMALIN Baby Cough Syrup, MaKOFF Baby Cough syrup and MaGrip n Cold Syrup, These drugs are not licensed for manufacture and sale in India and are not marketed or distributed here, he added.

"Further, control samples of the aforementioned drugs were drawn and sent for test and analysis to Regional Drug Testing Laboratory, (RDTL) Chandigarh by the investigating team. As per the report of the Government Analyst, the samples have been declared to be of standard quality," the minister said.

As per the reply, the samples were also found negative for both Diethylene Glycol (DEG) and Ethylene Glycol (EG).

Earlier in October, the Haryana State Drugs Controller had stopped all the manufacturing activities of Maiden Pharmaceuticals at Sonepat after the WHO issued an alert saying the firm's cough syrups could potentially be linked to the death of children in Gambia.

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