India finds serious breaches, halts production over Gambia deaths
Al JazeeraWHO report found the Maiden Pharmaceuticals medicine may be linked to the deaths of dozens of children in the African nation. Indian health authorities said on Wednesday they had halted all production of New Delhi-based Maiden Pharmaceuticals after a WHO report that its cough and cold syrups exported to The Gambia may be linked to the deaths of dozens of children there. The UN health agency said 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 Atlanta-based Atlantic Pharmaceuticals. The firm is distinct from Atlanta-based Atlantic Pharmaceuticals, Inc, whose president Anthony Soscia told Reuters by email that his company “does not import or export any pharmaceuticals.” The cough syrups had been approved for export only to The Gambia, India said, although the WHO says they may have gone elsewhere through informal markets.