Uzbekistan children death case: Noida-based Pharma firm stops cough syrup production; BJP, Congress spar

Noida-based pharma company Marion Biotech on Thursday said that it regrets the deaths of children in Uzbekistan, allegedly after consuming its cough syrup and that manufacturing of the product has been halted for now.

"We regret the deaths of children in Uzbekistan. The Central government is conducting an inquiry and we will take an action as per their report. They have taken samples of the medicine," legal representative of Marion Biotech Pharma Company, Hasan Harris said.

He said that production of the company's cough syrup has been halted for now and assured that appropriate action will be taken after the reports of an inquiry by the Central government.

On Wednesday, Health Ministry of Uzbekistan in a statement claimed that as many as 18 children had died of acute respiratory disease after they consumed cough syrup manufactured by Indian pharmaceutical firm Doc-Max.

In response to an email from ANI, seeking further details on the deaths, an official of the World Health Organisation (WHO) said, "The WHO is in contact with the health authorities in Uzbekistan and is ready to assist in further investigations."

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), under the Union Health Ministry, said it will investigate the claim by the Uzbekistan Health Ministry.

Meanwhile, the deaths of Uzbekistan children have sparked a political row with Congress hitting out at the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government stating that it should stop boasting about India being a pharmacy to the world.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh in a tweet linked the Uzbekistan deaths to the deaths of 66 children in African country of Gambia earlier this year.

"Made in India cough syrups seem to be deadly. First, it was the deaths of 70 kids in Gambia and now it is that of 18 children in Uzbekistan. Modi Sarkar must stop boasting about India being a pharmacy to the world and take the strictest action," Ramesh tweeted.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has hit back at the Congress and stated that "blinded in its hate for Modi, Congress continues to deride India and its entrepreneurial spirit."

BJP leader Amit Malviya tweeted, "The death of children in Gambia had nothing to do with the consumption of cough syrup made in India. That has been clarified by the Gambian authorities and DCGI, both. But blinded in its hate for Modi, Congress continues to deride India and its entrepreneurial spirit. Shameful...," Malviya tweeted.

The Centre had in Parliament during the just concluded Winter Session declared that four cough syrups, which allegedly led to the death of 66 children in Gambia, were of "standard quality".

On December 15, Bhagwant Khuba, Union Minister of State for Chemical and Fertiliser in a written reply in Rajya Sabha said, "As per the report of the Government Analyst, the samples have been declared to be of standard quality. The said samples were also found negative for both Diethylene Glycol (DEG) and Ethylene Glycol (EG)."

"Based on investigations conducted, State Drugs Controller, Haryana issued show cause notice to M/s Maiden Pharma on 7.10.2022 under Rule 85(2) of the Drugs Rules, 1945. Further, an order under section 22(1)(d) of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 issued to M/s Maiden Pharmaceuticals Limited, Sonepat, Haryana on September 11, 2022, stopping all the manufacturing activities of M/s Maiden Pharmaceuticals at Sonepat with immediate effect in the public interest," the reply mentioned further.

According to the mail written by DCGI on December 13 this year to Dr Rogerio Gaspar, Director, Regulation and Prequalification, WHO, in reply to the letter dated December 6, received through e-mail, "WHO had been informed that the samples of these 4 products in question were drawn and sent for testing to Government Laboratory as per extant rules. As per the test reports received from the Government laboratory, all the control samples of the 4 products have been found to be complying with specifications. Further, DEG and EG were not found to be detected in these products and the products have been found not to have been contaminated with DEG or EG as per the test reports. These reports have been made available to the aforesaid Technical Committee which is examining them."

"As regards the use of excipients specifically the propylene glycol, it was sourced 7. from Goel Pharma Chem, Delhi which is recorded to have been imported from SKC, 255, Yongjam-ro, Nam-gu, Ulsan, South Korea as per COA. Further Glycerine was recorded to be sourced from M/s Goel Pharma Chem, Delhi which was sourced from M/s Adani Wilmar, India. Excipients specifically propylene glycol available at the manufacturing site at the time of inspection were also sampled and tested at Government Laboratory as per rules and were found to be complying with USP (wherein DEG and EG were complying with USP test 2(b), and propylene glycol was not found contaminated with DEG and EG. Further, for testing at a Government laboratory. It has also been found to be complying with IP specifications (wherein content of DEG was found 0.0119% and content of EG was not detected)." the letter further stated.

( With inputs from ANI )