NEW DELHI, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- India's federal health ministry on Thursday said a probe has been launched into cough syrups made in the country that could be linked to acute kidney injuries and the deaths of 66 children in the Gambia.
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) has initiated a detailed investigation into four cough syrups manufactured by Maiden Pharmaceuticals Ltd., following an alert from the World Health Organization (WHO) that the medicines were contaminated and have been potentially linked with acute kidney injuries and 66 deaths among children in the Gambia.
A preliminary inquiry shows that the pharmaceutical company holds manufacturing permission for the products for export only, and the company has manufactured and exported these products only to the Gambia, according to a statement from the health ministry.
"In effect, none of these four drugs of M/s. Maiden Pharmaceuticals is sold domestically in India," the statement said.
The ministry said the CDSCO has requested WHO to share the report on the establishment of causal relation to death with the medical products in question.
"While the contaminated products have so far only been detected in the Gambia, they may have been distributed to other countries. WHO recommends all countries detect and remove these products from circulation to prevent further harm to patients," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters on Wednesday.
WHO laboratory analysis of samples of each of the four products has confirmed that they contain unacceptable amounts of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol as contaminants.
India's health ministry said samples have been taken and sent for testing by the CDSCO.
"The results of which will guide the further course of action as well as bring clarity on the inputs received or to be received from WHO," it said. ■