An investigation by the World Health Organization (WHO) has identified 20 contaminated medicines and syrups made in India and Indonesia associated with almost 300 deaths globally.
Out of the contaminated paracetamol, vitamins, and syrups made by 15 different manufacturers, seven were produced by Indian pharmaceutical companies.
India's drug controller had launched a probe into Haryana-based Maiden Pharmaceuticals, Noida-based Marion Biotech, Chennai-based Global pharma, and Punjab-based QP Pharmachem.
Deaths Due to Contaminated Medicines
The incidence of deaths caused by contaminated medicines surfaced in last October when over 60 children in Gambia died after taking cough syrup produced by Maiden Pharmaceuticals.
In December, at least 18-20 children in Uzbekistan died after allegedly taking cough syrup manufactured by Noida-based pharmaceutical firm, Marion Biotech.
In all these cases, the laboratory tests of a batch of syrups found the presence of two toxic substances - ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol.
As many as three employees of the Marion Biotech pharma company were arrested on charges of manufacturing and sale of adulterated drugs. The company also lost its license.
In a recent incident, at least 12 children died in the central African nation of Cameroon after drinking cough syrup that bears markings indicating it was made in India by Indore-based Riemann pharma company.
Although Riemann said that the 'Naturcold' syrup looks like theirs, the one in Cameroon could be a fake product as they last produced its batch under contract in early 2022 and provided it to an exporter who reported sending it to Cameroon.
Both the authorities in Cameroon and the Madhya Pradesh Food and Drugs Administration are investigating the case.
In the wake of recent incidents, the Indian government has implemented a procedure to ensure that all cough syrups undergo testing before being exported to other countries.