Medical News
Contaminated cough medications cause multiple child deaths
WHO urges action to reduce risk
The World Health Organization ( WHO ) issued a
Medical Product Alert on January 11 in response to a series of child deaths attributed to the use of substandard over-the-counter cough medicines .
In the previous four months , a number of countries have recorded up to 300 poisoning deaths of children under the age of five caused by cough syrups and paracetamols containing high quantities of ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol . The first cases of cough syrup poisoning were detected in Gambia in late October 2022 , followed by similar cases in Indonesia the following month . The most recent incident occurred in Uzbekistan in January this year .
Early investigations of the incidences in Gambia indicated that Maiden Pharmaceuticals Limited , based in India , manufactured the contaminated medicine products . The compromised products are Promethazine Oral Solution , Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup , Makoff Baby Cough Syrup , and Magrip N Cold Syrup . In Indonesia , the local regulatory authority discovered several substandard cough syrup and paracetamol-based products causing child poisoning nationwide , such as Termorex syrup , Flurin DMP syrup , Unibebi Cough Syrup , Unibebi Demam Paracetamol Drops , Unibebi Demam Paracetamol Syrup , Paracetamol Drops , and Paracetamol Syrup ( mint ) which was manufactured by PT Afi Farma . The Uzbekistan Ministry of Health identified AMBRONOL syrup and DOK-1 Max syrup , consisting of abnormal quantities of ethylene glycol .
Ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol , which comprise the contaminants in substandard products , are widely applied as industrial solvents and antifreeze
agents . Clinical findings indicate that high dosages can be fatal , especially to children . Symptoms include abdominal pain , vomiting , diarrhoea , inability to urinate , headache , and acute kidney damage .
The WHO ’ s Medical Product Alert system was set up to officially warn member states about the existence of hazardous medical products and push for stringent enforcement by health and pharmaceuticalrelated authorities . The WHO has also proposed A number several measures for governments , regulators , and of countries have recorded manufacturers to implement in the event of mass up to 300 contaminated medicine poisoning . poisoning
For example , governments and regulators need to deaths of identify and remove contaminated medicine products children from circulation at hospitals and pharmacies as well as under the age ensure that all medical products are approved for sale of five caused by the relevant authorities and distributed by licensed by cough suppliers . Furthermore , governments should enhance syrups and their observation of medicine product supplies by paracetamols containing ramping up risk-based inspections on manufacturing high sites and conducting risk-based targeting testing on quantities the product sold in the intended market . Enforcement of ethylene of local laws and regulations is also crucial to curb the glycol and spread of substandard and falsified medicine . diethylene
The WHO also urges manufacturers to improve glycol . product quality testing and documentation of records involving material purchases , testing outcomes , manufacture , and distribution details to simplify incident investigation traceability . Suppliers and distributors of medical products must be vigilant for signs of medicine falsification , distribute certified medicines , maintain sales records , and deploy competent personnel to engage with the public on the proper use of medication .
42 ISSUE 1 | 2023 GlobalHealthAsiaPacific . com