Cough syrup deaths: Three employees of a pharmaceutical firm, whose cough syrup allegedly led to the death of 18 children in Uzbekistan last year, were arrested. The officials were arrested on charges of manufacturing and sale of adulterated drugs, reports said.
Uzbekistan claimed in December last year that at least 18 children died after taking cough syrup manufactured by Marion Biotech, a firm based in Noida in India.
Uzbekistan’s health ministry said laboratory tests of a batch of syrups found “the presence of ethylene glycol”, a toxic substance. The ministry said ethylene glycol were administered in doses higher than the standard for children, either by their parents, who mistook it for an anti-cold remedy, or on the advice of pharmacists.
Syrup samples collected
On inspection of the manufacturing facility of the cough syrup, , officials collected the Dok-1 Max cough syrup samples from the plant. The samples were sent for contamination testing to the Regional Drugs Testing Laboratory (RDTL) in Chandigarh.
The officials were arrested after an FIR was lodged on Thursday against five persons, including two of the company’s directors. However, the directors of the company are absconding and a police are on the lookout for them.
The three persons arrested included Tuhin Bhattacharya, head operation, Atul Rawat, manufacturing chemist and and Mool Singh, analytical chemist.
Jaya Jain and Sachin Jain are directors of the firm who are absconding.
“Three people associated with Marion Biotech, which is located in Sector 67, were today arrested by the local Phase 3 police station officials. These people were engaged in preparation and sale of fake drugs which caused serious harm to public,” Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Noida) Rajiv Dixit said.
“Besides the three suspects who have been arrested, there are two more directors of the company for whom searches are underway and they will also be arrested soon. With their act, these people were endangering human life and human health,” Dixit said.
Drug’s sale, distribution to be stopped
Central and Uttar Pradesh drug authorities had checked samples of Marion Biotech products and found 22 samples “not of standard quality” (adulterated and spurious), said the drug inspector.
Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), North Zone, has asked Marion Biotech to stop the sale and distribution of the drug concerned.
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