China News Service, January 24 (Xinhua) According to Reuters, on the 23rd local time, the World Health Organization (WHO) stated in a statement that a series of child deaths related to cough syrup in 2022 were not isolated incidents, calling on 194 members to The United States "takes immediate and concerted action" to protect children from contaminated drugs.
According to reports, the WHO said in a statement on the 23rd that in the past 4 months, at least 7 countries have reported incidents involving children's cough syrup.
The Gambia, Indonesia, and Uzbekistan alone alone will kill more than 300 children (mainly children under 5 years of age) in 2022 from acute kidney injury related to contaminated medicines.
The tainted medications were over-the-counter cough syrups that were high in diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol.
"These contaminants are toxic chemicals used as industrial solvents and antifreeze that can be fatal if ingested even in small amounts, and should never be in medicines," the WHO statement said.
In addition to Gambia, Indonesia and Uzbekistan, the Philippines, Timor-Leste, Senegal and Cambodia are also at potential risk because contaminated cough medicine syrup may also be sold in these countries, the WHO said.
Considering that the contaminated cough syrup is not an isolated incident, WHO calls on all key stakeholders involved in the medical supply chain to take an immediate and coordinated response.
On October 5, 2022 and January 11, 2023, WHO has issued specific product warnings and requested removal of cough syrups produced by 2 Indian pharmaceutical manufacturers linked to child deaths in Gambia and Uzbekistan respectively related.