WHO issues alert on Indian cough syrup: Company director says product was duplicated to 'defame' India

The 'substandard' medicine was found in the Marshall Islands and Micronesia

By ANI

Published: Wed 26 Apr 2023, 9:05 AM

Last updated: Wed 26 Apr 2023, 9:44 AM

After the WHO issued a product alert over India-made cough syrup in Marshall Islands and Micronesia, the managing director of the manufacturer, QP Pharma Chem Limited, said that someone had duplicated the syrup to defame the Government of India.

The World Health Organisation has issued a 'WHO Medical Product Alert' after "Substandard (contaminated)" Guaifenesin Syrup TG Syrup was found in the Marshall Islands and Micronesia.

The manufacturer of the affected product is QP Pharma Chem Limited in Punjab, India. The marketer of the product is Trillium Pharma in Haryana, said WHO.

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"Food And Drug Administration (FDA) of Punjab [has a] doubt that someone has duplicated the product (cough syrup) sent to Cambodia and then sold it in the Marshall Islands and Micronesia to defame the Government of India," said Sudhir Pathak, MD of the firm based in Dera Bassi, Punjab .

Pathak said that the FDA department had taken samples of cough syrup and were sent to Cambodia for testing.

"The FDA department has taken samples of cough syrup sent to Cambodia for testing. A total of 18,336 bottles of cough syrup were sent," he added.

According to the WHO report, the Guaifenesin Syrup TG Syrup was found with unacceptable amounts of contaminants of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol.

"Samples of the GUAIFENESIN SYRUP TG SYRUP from the Marshall Islands were analysed by quality control laboratories of the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) of Australia. The analysis found that the product contained unacceptable amounts of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol as contaminants," read a WHO report.

"To date, neither the stated manufacturer nor the marketer have provided guarantees to WHO on the safety and quality of these products," it added.

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