Bhartesh Singh Thakur
Chandigarh, October 8
Kerala has banned the sale of all drugs manufactured by Sonepat-based firm Maiden Pharmaceuticals. Earlier, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had issued an alert on four syrups of the firm on October 5 after 66 children died in The Gambia.
Confirming the development while talking to The Tribune, Kerala State Drug Controller PM Jayan said, “We have issued orders for stopping the sale of all drugs manufactured by Maiden Pharmaceuticals. They have a few products in the market. We will draw samples and test each of these. Based on the results, we will allow the sale.” On the blanket ban, Jayan said the decision had been taken in view of the death of 66 children in The Gambia. The WHO has also said that laboratory analysis of samples of each of the four syrups manufactured by Maiden Pharmaceuticals confirmed that these contained unacceptable amounts of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol as contaminants.
The four syrups which are suspected to be behind the deaths of 66 children in The Gambia are Promethazine Oral Solution, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff Baby Cough Syrup and Magrip N Cold Syrup.
According to the Xtended Licensing, Laboratory and Legal Node website of the Centre, Maiden Pharmaceuticals’ metformin tablets, which are used to treat type-2 diabetes, failed the quality test in Ernakulum district in Kerala on September 28. Another product of the firm, easiprin tablets, a gatro-resistant aspirin, failed on June 30 in Kannur district.
