Killer syrups: Credibility of Indian pharma industry at stake
The Tribune Editorial: The WHO has flagged the potential risk of contaminated products being supplied to other countries, particularly via unauthorised channels, and the regulatory gaps in screening for domestically marketed medicines in India.
THE death of at least 20 children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, linked to contaminated cough syrups, is much more than a tragedy confined to two states. It is a matter of concern for the entire nation, whose reputation as the ‘pharmacy of the world’ has come under global scrutiny. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has flagged the potential risk of contaminated products being supplied to other countries, particularly via unauthorised channels, and the regulatory gaps in screening for domestically marketed medicines in India. The country’s central drug regulator has informed the WHO that Coldrif and two other cough syrups have been recalled and manufacturers ordered to stop their production. However, the official claim that none of these products were exported may not be enough to control the damage already done.
