The World Health Organization is investigating the possible connection between contaminated cough syrups and the over 300 children who died after using the spoiled medication last 12 months.
The investigation hopes to see whether the raw materials used to supply cough syrup by six manufacturers in India and Indonesia contained “unacceptable levels” of poisons — and in consequence, caused the spate of deaths, someone with knowledge on the matter told Reuters.
WHO can also be trying to see whether the manufacturers received the bad materials from a few of the same suppliers.
The agency has not named any of the suppliers it’s investigating. It is usually considering warning families across the globe against using cough syrup to treat children while it stays unclear whether the products are protected.
Experts are also researching whether or not products like cough syrup are medically mandatory for youngsters, the person told Reuters.
Inside the past 12 months, greater than 300 children died of acute kidney injury in deaths that were related to contaminated medicines, the WHO said in a press release Monday.
Most of those children were under the age of 5, and lived in Gambia, Indonesia and Uzbekistan. Their deaths were linked to medications that were found to contain high levels of toxic diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol.
Along with the six manufacturers in India and Indonesia, the WHO said that the Philippines, Timor Leste, Senegal and Cambodia might also have the contaminated medicines on sale. The agency called for “immediate motion” across those countries to examine for quality control with the intention to prevent further deaths.
“These contaminants are toxic chemicals used as industrial solvents and antifreeze agents that will be fatal even taken in small amounts, and may never be present in medicines,” the WHO said.
The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations said its members “are already doing what the WHO is asking for.”
WHO issued alerts on specific cough syrups in October made by two Indian manufacturers, Maiden Pharmaceuticals and Marion Biotech, saying their syrups were linked to deaths in Gambia and Uzbekistan. Each plants have since closed.
WHO is predicted to carry one other press conference on the matter Tuesday.
With Post wires