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The World Health Organization urges speedy action to protect children after 300 child deaths linked to contaminated medicines

By on January 24, 2023


Over the past four months, countries have reported to the World Health Organization (WHO), several incidents of over-the-counter cough syrups (for children) confirmed or suspected to be contaminated with high levels of diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol (EG).

In 3 out of seven countries associated with more than 300 child deaths, many were under the age of five. « These contaminants are toxic chemicals used as industrial solvents and antifreeze agents that can be fatal even taken in small amounts, and should never be found in medicines, » explains WHO.

Last year, children in the Gambia, Indonesia and Uzbekistan died of acute kidney injury linked to over-the-counter cough syrups for common illnesses. These syrups contained either one of these two toxins. Apart from kidney injury and death, their toxic effects include inability to pass urine.

To date, the WHO has identified six drugmakers in India and Indonesia who produced the syrups. These manufacturers have either declined to comment on the investigation or denied using contaminated materials that contributed to any deaths. Reuters has no evidence of wrongdoing by the companies the WHO has named.

“This is of the highest priority for us, to see no more child deaths from something that is so preventable,” WHO spokesperson Margaret Harris said.

The United Nations health agency said on Monday, January 23, it had widened its investigation into potential diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol contamination in cough syrups to four additional countries where the same products may have been on sale: Cambodia, the Philippines, East Timor, and Senegal. It called on other governments and the global pharmaceutical industry to launch urgent checks to root out substandard medicines and improve regulation.

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The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) said in an emailed statement on Tuesday that its members “are already doing what the WHO is calling for,” in line with national and international guidelines.

According to Reuters, the WHO has already issued specific alerts for cough syrups made by two Indian manufacturers, Maiden Pharmaceuticals and Marion Biotech, in October 2022 and earlier this month.

It said their syrups were linked to deaths in Gambia and Uzbekistan respectively, and the alerts asked people to stop using them.

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