Buzz
The Indonesian Ministry of Health recently took the decision to temporarily cease the sale of all syrup medications to investigate the risk of infection, following nearly 100 child deaths suspected to be linked to the use of syrup medications. Many suspect this may be related to four syrup medications produced by the Indian pharmaceutical company Maiden Pharmaceuticals, which the WHO has warned pose dangers to consumers.This decision comes just weeks after the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a warning about four types of cough syrup from India that may be linked to acute kidney injuries, resulting in the deaths of 70 children in Gambia.
The following four products are:
- Promethazine Oral Solution,
- Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup,
- Makoff Baby Cough Syrup and
- Magrip N Cold Syrup.
Currently, Indonesia is investigating 206 cases of acute kidney injuries in children under 5, with 99 reported deaths. The country's Ministry of Health is concerned that the actual numbers may be even higher. So far, they have found in some homes victims showing the presence of two related components, thylene glycol and diethylene glycol. These are highly toxic substances, and if accidentally ingested, they can cause mild symptoms such as abdominal pain and nausea, or more severe effects like acute kidney injuries or death.
Previously, WHO's test results on products in Gambia indicated that the levels of the two mentioned substances were unacceptably high and would pose significant harm to consumers. Up to the present moment, there is no evidence that these products have been exported to other countries, and Indonesia has stated that it does not import the four types of medication from Maiden Pharmaceuticals. However, to ensure safety, the Indonesian Ministry of Health has implemented a complete ban rather than taking the risk of omission. This ban will remain in place until the investigation concludes the examination of unregistered syrup medications that may contain thylene glycol and diethylene glycol.
In Vietnam, the Drug Administration also confirms that there are no records for the import and sale of the mentioned four types of medication. Nevertheless, to be cautious, it is advisable to purchase registered medications from reputable sources and limit online purchases, especially those that are heavily advertised but lack circulation registration numbers.
