A local pharmaceutical firm has found itself in hot waters after the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) sealed off its syrup manufacturing department.
The development comes after the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) in Gambia reported that a cough syrup produced by the company had been contaminated with toxic chemicals.
The cough syrup in question, which was exported, contained dangerously high levels of Diethylene Glycol (DEG) or Ethylene Glycol (EG). These toxic chemicals can cause immediate death by triggering kidney failure.
DRAP officials reacted swiftly to the alert from MCA Gambia, issuing a recall alert and instructing Islamabad-based manufacturing company, Davis Pharmaceutical Laboratories, as well as all drug inspectors and officials to seize all suspicious products of the company in the country.
Thankfully, no products from the company have been found in pharmacies within the country. The batch of cough syrup containing the toxic chemicals was manufactured solely for export in 2021 and was not supplied domestically.
Samples of the syrup produced by the company have been sent for chemical analysis at the Drug Testing Lab (DTL) of DRAP.
DRAP has also issued instructions to take stern action against the manufacturer, including canceling its production license and arresting the owners of the company if they are found to have been involved in criminal negligence.
This incident comes in the wake of reports of hundreds of children dying in Gambia and Indonesia over the past six to eight months due to consuming Indian syrup containing ingredients linked to acute kidney injuries (AKI). It serves as a stark reminder of the need for vigilance and stringent quality control measures in the pharmaceutical industry.
Via: 24 News
Syrup name?
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