A joint inspection crew, comprising senior drug inspectors of the central and Haryana governments, will on Thursday once more examine the Sonepat-based pharmaceutical firm that’s on the heart of a raging controversy over the availability of 4 syrups linked to the demise of 66 youngsters in The Gambia, a west African nation.

Also learn: WHO alerts against India-made cough syrups after 66 children die in Gambia

The World Health Organization had on Wednesday issued a medical product alert over the 4 cough and chilly syrups made by Maiden Pharmaceuticals, Sonepat, warning they might be linked to acute kidney accidents and deaths of the 66 youngsters.

Haryana well being minister Anil Vij stated that samples of the 4 pediatric cough syrups from the pharmaceutical firm had been collected collectively by a crew of the Drug Controller General of India underneath the Union well being ministry and the Haryana meals and drug administration on October 1 and three and despatched to the Central Drugs Laboratory in Kolkata for examination.

Samples being indigenously examined in Kolkata: Haryana well being minister

“It has been decided by the central and state governments that we should first get these cough syrup samples tested indigenously before arriving at a conclusion. Further action will be taken later,” the well being minister stated.

Vij clarified that each one 4 cough syrups in query had been manufactured for export solely and never marketed in India.

“The probe into the matter is underway since last Saturday. The company in question is a small-scale unit and during the joint inspection and as per the standard operating procedure all necessary samples and documents were collected,” a Haryana authorities official stated, requesting anonymity.

The official stated that paperwork, together with the corporate’s stories of stability research of the product and the distributors checklist, had been being scrutinised. “The probe is at a preliminary stage,” the official stated.

Unacceptable quantities of diethylene glycol, ethylene glycol

According to stories quoting the WHO, the laboratory evaluation of the samples of the 4 merchandise confirmed that they contained unacceptable quantities of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol as containments.

“There is an urgent need to put tough regulatory systems in place to prevent such tragedies,” stated a former Haryana State Drug Controller, stating that earlier additionally comparable circumstances had been reported involving pediatric syrup manufactured in Haryana.