On December 29, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh published a tweet spreading misinformation about India-made cough syrups. In his tweet, he claimed that cough syrup made in India was linked to the deaths of around 70 kids in Gambia, and now 18 children have died in Uzbekistan because of a cough syrup made in India.
He said, “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.” Notably, the reports about the death of children in Gambia being linked to medicine manufactured in India have already been debunked.
‘While hating Modi, you have started hating the country’ – Netizens react
Soon after Ramesh’s tweet, netizens called him out for hating India on the pretext of targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. BJP’s national spokesperson Sambit Patra said, “The Gambian authorities and as well as DCGI have already clarified that the death of children in Gambia has nothing to do with the ‘Made in India’ cough syrup but in the garb of hating Modi, Congress always ends up manifesting its deep-rooted hatred for India.”
The Gambian authorities and as well as DCGI have already clarified that the death of children in Gambia has nothing to do with the ‘Made in India’ cough syrup but in the garb of hating Modi, Congress always ends up manifesting its deep rooted hatred for India. https://t.co/NKZg39zKKw
— Sambit Patra (@sambitswaraj) December 29, 2022
Twitter user Rahul Raj (bhak_sala) said, “If you wonder why India became a trading hub entirely dependent on China, research how politicians of India killed innovation and manufacturing in India for petty political gains and money.”
If you wonder why India became a trading hub entirely dependent on China, research how politicians of India killed innovation and manufacturing in India for petty political gains and money. https://t.co/CXqu8TGFCL
— Rahul Raj (@bhak_sala) December 29, 2022
Banker Chetan Bragta said, “Congress leader Jairam Ramesh in his hatred has forgotten that he is also a citizen of this India. They should not make such allegations without any proof. It is a matter of great shame that he is questioning the reputation of the country he lives in.
Congress leader @Jairam_Ramesh in his hatred has forgotten that he is also a citizen of this India. They should not make such allegations without any proof.
— Chetan Bragta (@chetanbragta) December 29, 2022
It is a matter of great shame that he is questioning the reputation of the country he lives in. https://t.co/FYgSX2bI2m
Twitter user VJ said, “While hating Modi, you people have started hating the country.”
मोदी से नफ़रत करते करते तुम लोग देश से नफ़रत करने लगे हो। https://t.co/a6JdKm1Hnh pic.twitter.com/StZAVodN1C
— VJ (@MeraNamVijay) December 29, 2022
The deaths of children in Uzbekistan
Around 21 children in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, were reported to have fallen sick after taking a medicine called Dok-1 Max, a cough syrup of Indian origin. 18 of these 21 children died while getting treatment in the hospital, following the reports that children fell sick after taking Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Health issued an advisory to immediately stop the medicine sale in the country.
Док 1 Макс даян шамоллоша карши дорини ишлатмангла. Ножуя таъсири натижасида боллода буйрак ишламин колади акан. Самаркандда шу дорини ичиб больнисага тушган 21 болодан 15 таси улган.
— Abbos Kh (@ibnAlisher) December 20, 2022
(C) инсайдерлар pic.twitter.com/sw8mdRh62S
In a letter shared by Twitter user Abbos Kh, the Ministry of Health was informed about the incident on December 15 by the administration of Children’s Multidisciplinary Medical Centre, Samarkand. The letter noted that children took Dok-1 Max medicine during the treatment of viral disease, a popular medicine among primary care doctors. (OpIndia used Google Translator and Google Lens for the translation of the letter.)
It further noted that the medicine might cause severe side effects, including kidney damage. In two months, 21 patients were admitted to the hospital, out of which 17 had severe side effects, and 15 died. The letter further urged the Ministry to prohibit the said medicine among children.
On December 22, a press release was issued on the official Telegram Channel of Uzbekistan’s Health Ministry informing about the side effects of the medicine. Pharmaceutical Network Development Agency said in the statement that a team of experts was formed to examine the medicine Dok-1 Max manufactured by India’s Marion Biotech Pvt Ltd. The sale of the medicine was temporarily suspended till further notice. (OpIndia used Google Translator and Google Lens for the translation of the press release.)
On December 27, Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Health issued a press release saying that the results of Dok-1 Max syrup confirmed the crime and that the results were sent to law enforcement agencies. As per the press release, Marion Biotech Pvt Ltd’s Dok-1 Max tablets and syrup were registered in the country in 2012. The drug was imported to Uzbekistan by Kiramax Medical LLC. (OpIndia used Google Translator and Google Lens for the translation of the press release.)
After the death of 18 out of 21 children who reportedly got sick with acute respiratory diseases, a probe was initiated. During the investigation, the Ministry’s officials found that the children took medicine for 2-7 days up to 2.5-5 millilitres 3-4 times a day. The dose taken by the children was much more than normally prescribed for the children.
Furthermore, the medicine was taken without a doctor’s prescription. The main ingredient of the medicine is paracetamol, which confused the parents, and they used it incorrectly as an anti-cold medicine independently or on the recommendation of the pharmacists. “This caused the condition of patients to worsen,” the Ministry added.
The laboratory also found traces of ethylene glycol, a contaminant, in the syrup, which is a toxic substance, and 1-2 ml of a 95% concentration can cause severe damage to the patient’s health. Side effects of the contaminant include vomiting, lethargy, seizures, cardiovascular problems and acute kidney failure.
The Ministry took action against seven employees. A number of specialists were disciplined for their carelessness and inattention to their duties as they failed to analyse deaths on time and did not take necessary actions. The medicine was withdrawn from sale across the country. The Ministry further urged the parents not to give medicine to children without a prescription from a doctor.
On the same day, the Minister of Health, B. Musaev, expressed his condolences to the parents and relatives of 18 children who died. He also assured that the culprits involved in the case would be held accountable.
India’s action in the Uzbekistan case
Soon after the authorities in India were informed about the incident, an inquiry into the Noida-based drug manufacturer was initiated. Hindustan Times quoted an unnamed official from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) saying that the Drugs Controller of India and the Uzbek regulator are in contact. The information was being shared related to the matter. “Drugs Controller General of India is in contact with the Uzbek regulator to obtain detailed information. This company, it seems, has been supplying drugs to Uzbekistan for a long period of time,” he said.
On Tuesday, the Union Drug Regulatory informed the Uttar Pradesh Drug Licensing Authority to initiate an inquiry. Samples were taken from the factory by the north zone drug regulatory team of the central government and state drug regulatory teams. AK Jain, Deputy Commissioner, DCLA UP, said, “As soon as we received an email from the central drugs regulatory team that an inquiry needed to be conducted today, we immediately formed an investigating team comprising the assistant commissioner of drugs (Meerut division) and drug inspector from Gautam Buddh Nagar (Uttar Pradesh) to join the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (north zone) to investigate the allegations.”
Quoting Central Drugs Controller’s officers, HT noted that the samples were taken from the exported and current batches of the medicine and sent to a laboratory for testing. The action will be taken as per the report. Furthermore, another officer told HT that the company’s representatives were questioned about the raw material for the medicine. The officer added, “The tests of Maiden samples conducted in India did not find anything concrete; therefore, it will not be prudent to make any comments at this stage on Marion’s samples. Let’s wait for the test report.”
In a statement, Marion Biotech Pharma Company legal head Hasan Raza told ANI, “We regret deaths, the government is conducting the inquiry. We will take action as per the report. Samples were collected. Manufacturing of that product has been halted as of now and other processes are underway.”
On December 29, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, said, “Regarding reports from Uzbekistan concerning contaminated cough syrup made by Indian company Marion Biotech, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) under the Ministry of Health & FW, Govt of India is in regular contact with the national drug regulator of Uzbekistan since 27th December.”
The samples of the cough syrup have been taken from the manufacturing premises and sent to Regional Drugs Testing Laboratory, Chandigarh for testing. (3/3)
— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) December 29, 2022
He added, “Immediately on receipt of the information, a joint inspection of Marion Biotech’s Noida facility was carried out by UP Drug Control and the CDSCO team. Further action as appropriate would be initiated based on the inspection report. The samples of the cough syrup have been taken from the manufacturing premises and sent to Regional Drugs Testing Laboratory, Chandigarh for testing.”
Immediately on receipt of the information, a joint inspection of Marion Biotech’s Noida facility was carried out by UP Drug Control and the CDSCO team. Further action as appropriate would be initiated based on the inspection report. (2/3)
— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) December 29, 2022
There are two aspects of the report. The first ethylene glycol was present in the medicine. Secondly, it was noted by Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Health that high doses of the medicine were given to the children without a valid prescription from a doctor. As the probe into the matter is underway, it will be too soon to assert and blame the Indian drug fully for the unfortunate incident.
The case of children’s death in Gambia
On December 16, it was reported that India’s Drugs Controller General Dr VG Somani wrote a letter to Dr Rogerio Gaspar, Director of Regulation and Prequalification at the World Health Organization. In this letter, Somani asserted that the Indian cough syrups from Maiden Pharma meet the necessary regulatory standards and are, therefore, harmless.
He added that the WHO’s statement blaming Indian cough syrups for the deaths of children in Gambia had impacted India’s image in the world adversely. Somani’s letter was written in response to the WHO’s letter dated December 6 2022. Notably, the WHO blamed India’s Maiden pharmaceuticals for the deaths of children in the Gambia in October. In October 2022, the WHO feared the children died from the company’s cough syrup.
On Wednesday, October 12 2022, the Central Government constituted a four-member expert committee to probe the World Health Organization (WHO) reports on the deaths of 66 children in the Gambia, which was hastily blamed on cough syrups made by Sonipat-based firm Maiden Pharmaceuticals Limited. According to an order from the Haryana government, Maiden Pharmaceuticals Limited’s firm in Sonipat was instructed to cease producing all cough syrups. A show-cause notice for 12 irregularities discovered at the company’s production facility was also issued. The letter written by Dr VG Somani also informs the WHO director about this.
In November this year, an Economic Times report stated that the specialised agency of the United Nations (UN) has failed to provide the documents to the Indian authorities, which are required to further the investigation into the deaths of 70 deceased children in Gambia.
“The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation(CDSCO), the drug regulator in India, has written thrice to the World Health Organisation but to no avail. So far, it has received no response from WHO,” the report added.
China becomes ‘black market’ for Indian Covid drugs
As per the Hindustan Times report, the Chinese pharmaceutical market has become a ‘black market’ for Indian generic Covid drugs. While the Chinese government has approved two antiviral drugs, Pfizer’s Paxlovid and Azvudine (HIV drug by Genuine Biotech of China), the medicines are only available in selected hospitals. China is currently facing an unprecedented surge in Covid-19 cases. As per WHO, 159,232 new cases were reported by the Chinese government in the last seven days. 472 people have lost their lives in the last week due to complications associated with Covid-19.
The residents of China have turned their hope towards Indian generic Covid drugs. However, they are being obtained via illegal channel. Indian drugs like Primovir, Paxista, Molnunat and Molnatris have entered the Chinese market via illegal channels and are available on Weibo. However, as they are not approved by the Chinese government, selling them is a punishable offence.
HT quoted Sahil Munjal, chairman of the Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil), who told Reuters that Indian companies were getting quote requests for ibuprofen and paracetamol. If required, the production of these drugs will be stepped up to meet the Chinese market requirements.
