WHO warns against 2 India-made cough syrups linked to deaths in Uzbekistan
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New Delhi: The World Health Organisation (WHO) warned against children in Uzbekistan using two India-made cough syrups.
The heads-up comes after the products were found behind the deaths of 19 children in the nation.
WHO said in a statement that two cough syrups made by India's Marion Biotech should not to be used for children.
In December, the health ministry of Uzbekistan linked the deaths to children having consumed medicines manufactured by an Indian pharmaceutical company.
The statement further said that laboratory analysis of products named AMBRONOL syrup and DOK-1 Max syrup are found to be having unacceptable amounts of diethylene glycol and /or ethylene.
The global health body said the products manufactured by Marion Biotech, ‘fail to meet quality standards or specifications and are therefore out of specification.'
The medical alert by WHO said that the two substandard products were identified in Uzbekistan and reported to WHO on 22 December 2022.
"Both of these products may have marketing authorizations in other countries in the region. They may also have been distributed, through informal markets, to other countries or regions," the WHO alert reportedly said.
What it referred to as ‘substandard products, according to the UN health agency, are unsafe and could cause serious injury or death especially among children.
The Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration department has suspended the production licence of Marion Biotech Company.
WHO previously issued an alert after four cough syrups manufactured by manufactured by an Indian drugmaker, Maiden Pharma were linked to acute kidney injuries and 66 deaths among children in Gambia.