After the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Wednesday announced that cough syrups made by India's Maiden Pharmaceuticals Limited are toxic to human beings especially in children, and may result in serious injury or death, the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists on Thursday said that the company only exports drugs. They also spoke of following any guidelines if issued by the Drugs Controller General of India.
"There is no supply of Maiden Pharmaceuticals Limited drugs in India, they only export their products, still, if any guideline is issued by the Drugs Controller General of India we will follow those guidelines," said the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists, as reported by ANI.
Meanwhile, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has taken up an urgent investigation in this regard, reported news agency ANI.
"Urgent investigation in the matter has been already taken up by CDSCO with the State Regulatory Authorities immediately after receiving communication from WHO based on the available information. While all required steps will be taken in the matter, as a robust National Regulatory Authority, WHO has been requested to share at the earliest with CDSCO the report on the establishment of causal relation to death with the medical products in question, photographs of Labels/ products etc. which is awaited," ANI reported.
WHO issued a medical product alert for four India-made cough and cold syrups on Wednesday and said that these products have been identified in The Gambia so far, but may have been distributed, through informal markets, to other countries.
"This WHO Medical Product Alert refers to four substandard products, identified in The Gambia and reported to WHO in September 2022. Substandard medical products are products that fail to meet either their quality standards or specifications and are, therefore "out of specification," the WHO said.
Preliminary investigation reveals that Maiden Pharmaceutical Limited, is a Haryana based manufacturer licensed by the State Drug Controller for the products, and also holds manufacturing permission. The company has manufactured and exported these products only to The Gambia so far, reported ANI.