Uzbekistan Health Ministry probes death of 18 children, alleges link to India-made cough syrup

New Delhi, December 28

Uzbekistan is probing the death of 18 children with the Health Ministry of the country allegedly linking the mortality to excessive doses of a cough syrup named Doc-1 Max, manufactured by Marion Biotech, a Noida-based drug firm.

The Health Ministry of Uzbekistan said in a statement that the deceased children consumed large amounts of the cough syrup, and alleged that the drug contained unacceptable levels of ethylene glycol, a toxic contaminant.

The claims by Uzbekistan Health Ministry come close on the heels of a Gambian Parliamentary committee blaming India-based Maiden Pharma for exporting contaminated cold and cough syrups, allegedly linked to the death of nearly 70 children in the country.

The Indian drug regulator has maintained that no contaminants were found in the control samples of the drugs in question which were taken from Maid and Pharma premises before the firm was closed down for violations of good manufacturing practices. The Health Ministry in India did not immediately respond to the claims made by the Uzbekistan Health Ministry.

A statement from the Uzbekistan Health Ministry said that 18 out of 21 children suffering from acute respiratory disorder took very high doses of Doc-1 Max cough syrup which contains paracetamol.

Uzbekistan said since the syrup contains paracetamol, parents mistook it for an anti-cold drug and administered it to children three to four times a day for 2 to 7 days exceeding standard dose in children and causing 18 deaths.

The cough syrup was administered without prescription, the Uzbekistan health authorities said.

They also said that preliminary lab investigation showed that the drugs in question had high levels of ethylene glycol.