Warning: 14 cough syrup products are banned from use

(QNO) - The Ministry of Health has just sent a document to the health departments of provinces and centrally-run cities; medical examination and treatment facilities under the Ministry of Health warning about some cough syrup products that are banned from use.

Cough syrup produced by Maiden is said to be linked to the deaths of more than 100 children in Gambia and Indonesia - Photo: REUTERS

The Ministry of Health said it had received a telegram from the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) warning Interpol member agencies that hundreds of children had died or suffered acute kidney damage after using 14 syrup products banned in several countries.

According to information from Interpol, these products manufactured in India and Indonesia contain Diethylene which can lead to serious health damage or death to users.

According to the review of the Ministry of Health (Department of Drug Administration), these 14 products have not been granted a drug circulation registration certificate in Vietnam and have not been granted an import license into Vietnam.

To ensure safety for users, the Ministry of Health requests the Department of Health of provinces and centrally-run cities, and medical examination and treatment facilities under the Ministry of Health to urgently deploy activities, specifically:

Disseminate and notify medical facilities, pharmaceutical facilities in the area, departments and offices at the unit about warning information for the 14 cough syrup products mentioned above to warn about the serious harm if using the product and strictly prohibit its use.

Strengthen propaganda in the locality and at the unit about not using drugs that are not licensed for circulation or of unknown origin.

The Department of Health of provinces and centrally-run cities shall conduct inspections and checks at pharmaceutical business establishments on the circulation of these products in particular and drugs of unknown origin and origin, and drugs that have not been licensed for circulation in general on the market.

The Ministry of Health notes: In case these products are found to be in circulation, recall, destroy and handle violations by pharmaceutical businesses according to regulations to avoid causing harm to users.

The results of the inspection and handling of violations (if any) are requested to be reported by the Department of Health to the Ministry of Health (Department of Drug Administration).

Previously, in October 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that dozens of young children in Gambia, a country in West Africa, died from acute kidney injury possibly related to contaminated cough and cold syrup produced by an Indian drug manufacturer.

According to Reuters, this warning includes four products: Promethazine Oral Solution, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff Baby Cough Syrup and Magrip N Cold Syrup.

Laboratory analysis found “unacceptable” levels of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol. These substances are highly toxic and can cause death or side effects such as abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches… which can be toxic and lead to acute kidney injury.

The WHO cited information from the Drugs and Drugs Control Authority of India as saying that Maiden Pharmaceuticals Ltd had only supplied the above drugs to Gambia. However, the WHO did not rule out the possibility that the above syrups were supplied to other countries through unofficial channels.

WHO calls on countries to review and ban the circulation of these products to avoid further harm to patients.

The Drug Administration of Vietnam, Ministry of Health said it has received the information and has reviewed the list of drugs imported into Vietnam.

The review results show that Vietnam has not yet granted any registration number to Maiden Pharmaceuticals Ltd; has not granted registration numbers to four cough medicine products: Promethazine Oral Solution, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff Baby Cough Syrup and Magrip N Cold Syrup. At the same time, Maiden Pharmaceuticals Ltd also has no documents submitted to the Department.

The Drug Administration also recommends that people should only buy pharmaceutical products with clear origins and have been granted circulation registration numbers, and avoid buying and using floating products or products sold on websites.

Source