The World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday issued an urgent
call for countries to crack down on substandard medical products,
after more than 300 children died in multiple countries due to
contaminated cough syrups, Trend reports citing Xinhua.
Over the past four months, the WHO said, several incidents have
been reported of over-the-counter cough syrups for children
contaminated with high levels of diethylene glycol (DEG) and
ethylene glycol (EG). These are toxic chemicals used as industrial
solvents and antifreeze agents, which can be fatal ingested even in
small amounts, and should never be found in medicines.
The cases were found in at least seven countries, and the
fatalities took place in the Gambia, Indonesia and Uzbekistan. Most
cases were young children under the age of five.
The WHO has already issued three global medical product alerts
regarding these incidents since October last year, and has
identified six drug companies in India and Indonesia that produced
the syrups.
“These are not isolated incidents,” the WHO said, calling on key
stakeholders in the medical supply chain to take immediate and
coordinated action.
Countries should detect and remove contaminated medicines from
circulation, the WHO said, and increase surveillance and diligence
within the supply chains.
They should also immediately notify WHO if substandard products
are discovered, and inform the public of the dangers and toxic
effects of the medicines concerned.