The World Health Organization issued a medical product alert on Wednesday regarding four cough syrups manufactured by Maiden Pharmaceuticals in India, warning that they could be linked to acute kidney injuries and the deaths of 66 children in The Gambia.
According to reports, the global health organization is conducting additional investigations with the company and Indian regulatory authorities.
Contaminated cough syrups have so far only been detected in the Gambia
“Laboratory analysis of samples of each of the four products confirms that they contain unacceptable amounts of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol as contaminants,” the WHO said.
While the contaminated products have so far only been detected in the Gambia, they may have been distributed to other countries,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at a press conference on Wednesday.
According to Reuters, the New Delhi-based company declined to comment on the matter.
The manufacturer Maiden Pharmaceuticals Limited has not provided guarantees on the safety and quality of these products: WHO
The Gambia government said last month that it was also looking into the deaths, following a spike in cases of acute kidney injury among children under the age of five in late July.
Promethazine Oral Solution, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff Baby Cough Syrup, and Magrip N Cold Syrup are the four Indian cough and cold syrups that the WHO has warned about. The manufacturer, Haryana’s Maiden Pharmaceuticals Limited, has not provided guarantees on the safety and quality of these products, according to the WHO
