According to the Uzbek Ministry of Health, at least 18 toddlers have passed away after ingesting syrup produced by the Indian pharmaceutical company Marion Biotech Pvt. Ltd.
According to the ministry, out of 21 kids who consumed the Doc-1 Max syrup while having an acute respiratory illness, 18 of them passed away.
It is promoted as a remedy for cold and flu symptoms on the business website.
The ministry claimed that ethylene glycol, a hazardous chemical, was present in a batch of syrup.
In a statement issued by the ministry on Tuesday, it was revealed that Quramax Medical LLC had imported the syrup into Uzbekistan.
Additionally, it claimed that children were being given the syrup at home by their parents or on the advice of pharmacists, without a doctor’s prescription, and in amounts that were higher than those recommended for children.
It was unclear right at first if every child had swallowed the questionable batch, had taken more than the recommended dosage or had done both.
Officials from the Indian health ministry confirmed that they were aware of the Uzbek story but chose not to comment, India’s Hindu daily reported.
India started inspecting some drug facilities on Tuesday to make sure they met stringent standards, according to the Reuters news agency.
The deaths in Uzbekistan are comparable to those in The Gambia, where Maiden Pharmaceuticals Ltd. of New-Delhi cough and cold syrups have been responsible for at least 70 infant deaths.
Both the corporation and the Indian government have disputed that the medications were to blame.
India is regarded as the “pharmacy of the world,” and in the most recent fiscal year, pharmaceutical exports reached $24.5 billion, an increase of more than double over the previous ten years.
According to the Uzbek health ministry, seven personnel were fired for carelessness for failing to promptly analyze the deaths and take the appropriate action.
Without mentioning what function the “specialists” had, it claimed that disciplinary action had been taken against some of them.
The Doc-1 Max tablets and syrups are also being withdrawn from all pharmacies.
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