2 more Maiden Pharma batches fail test

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Chandigarh, November 25

As the Food and Drugs Administration, Haryana, is awaiting the test report from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation on Maiden Pharma syrups (allegedly linked to Gambia deaths) for taking legal action, two more batches of the same pharma unit’s Albendazole tablets have failed the quality test.

Action after lab report

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We can take further action against Maiden Pharma in the syrups case only after receiving the lab test report. Anil Vij, Health Minister

Haryana Medical Services Corporation Limited (HMSCL) had procured tablets from Maiden Pharma for government hospitals and dispensaries. These are used for treating parasitic worm infections.

So far, 21 of 23 batches of Albendazole tablets have failed the quality test. The batches (manufacturing date August/September 2022 and expiry date August 2024), which were sent to a private-empanelled lab for a quality check, failed the “dissolution test parameter of the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission, 2018”, while one batch also failed to comply with the “uniformity of weight” and “assay test by UV” parameters. On November 5, The Tribune had reported that the HMSCL had issued a show-cause notice to the firm. As per the policy of the HMSCL, Maiden Pharma can be blacklisted, but sources said the test results from a government lab were awaited to proceed further.

The HMSCL has already blocked purchase orders from Maiden Pharma, besides withdrawing medicines procured from it last year.

The Sonepat firm is also linked to four syrups — Promethazine Oral Solution, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff Baby Cough Syrup and Magrip N Cold Syrup — that were found to contain unacceptable amounts of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol as contaminants in Gambia.