March 29, 2024

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Food and Drug Authority warns public on 4 contaminated India-made syrup for kids

Maiden Pharmaceuticals Limited based in New Delhi, India. Photo by Rueters

The Food and Drug Authority (FDA) had warned the public over the 4 India-made cough and cold syrups for kids which the agency says are contaminated, which was already flagged by the World Health Organization (WHO) since October 5 as it caused multiple deaths and acute kidney failures.

Posted as an advisory last October 21 in its Facebook page aminstddnd in its website, the FDA said that it strongly advises the public to be vigilant on the circulation of these substandard drug products since its contaminants — diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol — are toxic to humans when consumed.

“Taking diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol, which are chemical compounds Oral Solution BP, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, MakOFF Baby Cough Syrup and MaGrip n Cold Syrup.

Produced in India

“All manufactured by Maiden Pharmaceuticals Limited based in New Delhi, India, they are not registered with the FDA so they cannot be legally prescribed and sold in the Philippines” the agency aid

However, the FDA also said that it was “important to detect and remove these products from circulation to prevent harm to patients” as it asked for help from local governments and law enforcement agencies.

99 dead, 206 kidney injuries among Indonesia children

The warning came two days after Indonesia’s health ministry banned the sale of all syrup medicines pending an investigation of unregistered brands with toxic ingredients that caused at least 99 deaths and 206 acute kidney injuries in very young children.

The WHO, on October 5 alerted national health regulators against the four Maiden Pharma cough and cold syrups due to “unacceptable amounts” of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol that could damage the brains, lungs, livers, and kidneys of users.

It linked the four India-made cough syrups to the deaths of at least 70 children due to acute kidney failure in the West African nation of The Gambia.