Haryana government on Wednesday halted production of cough syrup by Maiden Pharmaceuticals after a WHO report claimed the medicine may be linked to the deaths of dozens of children in Gambia.
The health minister in Haryana state Anil Vij ANI that authorities inspected a Maiden factory in Sonipat and found 12 violations of good practices. The company has been asked to reply to a notice issued by the Haryana government by Friday.
WHO report says that laboratory analysis of four Maiden products — Promethazine Oral Solution, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff Baby Cough Syrup and Magrip N Cold Syrup — had “unacceptable” amounts of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol, which can be toxic and lead to acute kidney injury.
Gambian police, in a preliminary investigation report on Tuesday, said that the deaths of 69 children from acute kidney injury were linked to the cough syrups made in India and imported via a US-based company.
India’s Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council has suspended the membership of Maiden Pharmaceuticals after the deaths.
The Union health ministry maintained that an inquiry by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation has shown that the medicines are manufactured for export purposes only.
