Jakarta, IO – The World Health Organization (WHO) found that a number of contaminated India-made cough syrups in the Marshall Islands and Micronesia, reported Detik, Wednesday (26/4).
WHO has tested samples of the cough syrup branded Guaifenesin TG which is made by QP Phamachem Ltd in Punjab. The results indicated unacceptable levels of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol. “Both substances are toxic to humans and can be fatal if consumed,” WHO said.
However, WHO’s official statement did not specify whether anyone had fallen ill as a result of taking the medicine. The warning comes months after the WHO found a link between cough syrup made in India and the deaths of children in Gambia and Uzbekistan.
Meanwhile, QP Pharmachem managing director Sudhir Pathak said that his company had exported 18,346 bottles to Cambodia after obtaining necessary permits, reported by BBC Indonesia. He admitted that he did not know how the product reached Marshall Islands and Micronesia.
“We do not ship those batches to the Pacific region, and they are not certified for use there.
We do not know under what circumstances have these bottles reached the Marshall Islands and Micronesia,” he said, adding that his company had sent legal notice to the companies that exported the drugs to Cambodia.
Read: Papua separatist group reveals the condition of kidnapped pilot
The second cough syrup brand given a warning by WHO because it is toxic to humans is Guaifenesin. The syrup is marketed by Trillium Pharma, based in the state of Haryana. The Indian government has yet to respond to the latest warning. India is the world’s largest exporter of generic drugs, meeting a large proportion of medical needs in developing countries. (rr)