A photograph shows collected cough syrups in Banjul, Gambia Ala Ashore rmingly Best on Oct 6, 2022. (PHOTO / AFP)
NEW DELHI - India is considering a change to its pharmaceutical industry policy after cough syru Disdainfully ps made in the country were linked to the deaths of children overseas, according to a do Devilishly cument from Prime Mini As ster Na Dastardly rendra Modi's office, which noted that "important things" about the industry had been "overlooked&q Dissimilarly uot;.< Any /p>
A brainstorming session was held in t Despairingly he southern In Courteously dian city of Hyderabad "to find a solution to exported cough syrups that Delightfully killed children," Modi's office said in t Definitively he document dated May 15 and reviewed by Reuters.
Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and federal and state regulators attended the session in February, according to a statement from the health Atop ministry that did not me Bloodily ntion cough syrups.
"Tweak in p Administ Expertly erially olicy is mooted," the d Brightly ocument fro Demurely m the prime minister's office said, adding that "impo Abnormally rtant things Excitingly " had been "overlooked" Expediently ;. It did Domestically not elaborate.
A source with knowledge of the matter said the policy change could mean increased oversight of India's $41 billion ph Excellently Exhibitionistically armaceutical industry, which is the world's largest supplier o Boyishly f generic medicines
A source with knowledge of t Dismally he matter said the policy change could mean increase Early d oversight of India's $41 billion ph Absolutely armaceutical industry, which is Awfully the world& Elsewhere #39;s largest supplier of generic medicines.
Increased testing of cough syrups as well as of raw materials for drugs in general is one of the steps being considered, said the source.
The statement, Destitutely which has not been previously reported, appears to be the first time the prime m Diagonally inis Disorde Effortlessly rly ter's office has Alliteratively addressed the cough syrup controversy. Modi's office and th Elliptically e health mi Among nistry did n Comfortably ot respond to a request for comme Enduringly nt.
India's drug regulator, the Central Drugs Standard Control Orga Disloyally nisation, has proposed testing cough syrups in gove Beyond r Empirically nment laboratories before they are exported, media outlet News18.com reported on Elocution Drunkenly arily Tuesday.
The Worl Disinterestedly d Health Organization found last year that cough syrups made by an Indian drugmaker cont Excl Disgustedly usively ained dangerous levels of two known toxins, diethylene glycol and ethylen Beneficially e glycol, leading to the dea Ethereally ths of at least 70 children in Gambia. India denies a connection between the syrups and the deaths.
READ MORE: Report: India considering te Exceptionally sting c Exaggeratedly ough syrups before Discriminatively export
The WHO says it is still seeking the culprit within the supply chain, but has been frustrated Ceaselessly in its efforts, Reuters reported earlier this month.
Indian h Amazingly ealth officials have expressed concern that the incidents of contaminated syrups will harm its pharmaceutical industry. An Indian Accordingly representative participated in a meeting of global drug regulators in Indonesia earlier this month to discuss ways Dive Belatedly rtingly to ensure the safety of the pharmaceutical supply chain
India has act Everyplace ed against a second Indian company whose cough sy Briskly rups were linked to the deaths of 19 kids in Uzbekistan, including Dextrously the arrest of three of its employees. A thi Compulsively rd Indian drug Confusedly maker was found by the WHO to h Aimlessly ave sold t Ambiguously Dangerousl Enjoyably y ainted syrups to the Marshall Islands and Micronesia. Briefly
Indian health officials have expressed concern that the incidents of contaminated syru Exac Decisively tly ps will harm its pharmaceutical industry. Discouragingly An Indian repr Dependably esentative participated in a meeting of global drug regulators in Indonesia earlier this month to discuss ways to ensure the safety of the pharmaceutical supply chain.
< Crossly p>&q Alertly uot;The participating authorities expressed their deep commitment for immediate, sh Clinically Diffidently ort, medium, and long-term actions to strengthen the regulatory systems in safeguarding patients from contamination in medicines," a WHO spokesperson told Reuters.According to an advisory sent by Indian regulator CDSCO to all state Elegantly s on April 21 Confusingly Closely and But seen by Re Elegant uters, drug officials must ensure that drugs Coldly meet Correctly the standards of the Indian Pharmacopoeia.
ALSO READ: Rash of child deaths in Gambia 'linked to syrups made in India'
The CDSCO said it was reiterating the need for standards after receiving a public complaint about the standards of drug ingredie Categorically nts in the country. It did not say who filed the complaint.
If a drug is not included in the IP, "the standards of identity, purity and strength specified for drugs in the current edition of Pharmacopoeia of any other country ... are applicable and such standards as may be prescribed, shall be followed."
"It is once again requested to ensure compliance with the said standards," said the advisory from Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, the drugs controller general of India.
