'Blacklist, prosecute syrup maker Maiden Pharma'

Despite the Indian Government’s clean chit to Maiden Pharmaceuticals, head of the Gambia’s select committee on health and the WHO stand by their assertion that the syrups manufactured by the firm were contaminated. In an email interview with Bhartesh Singh Thakur of The Tribune, Amadou Camara, Head of the Select Committee on Health, Disaster, Humanitarian Relief and Refugees, has called for blacklisting and prosecution of Maiden Pharmaceuticals and answers queries related to findings. Exerpts:

THE TRIBUNE INTERVIEW: Amadou Camara, Gambia panel head

The select panel report says the samples of syrups were contaminated. What action have you recommended against the firm?

We strongly recommend to the Gambia Government to prosecute Maiden Pharmaceuticals and it is in our report. The lab test reports from Ghana and Switzerland are part of the evidence we have in our library that I can’t share, but these are available for public consumption.

We strongly recommend to the Gambia Government to prosecute Maiden Pharmaceuticals and it is in our report.

The firm submitted the certificate of analysis (COA) with the syrups. If syrups were contaminated, it implies the certificates were forged. What do you have to say?

The Gambia Medicine Control Agency lacks quality control lab and according to our regulations, we rely on the COA for the safety of the products and if the reverse happens, the company is responsible and should be charged for such falsification of the COA.

Did you try to call the owners of Maiden Pharmaceuticals during the process of your inquiry?

Several emails and telephone calls couldn’t be successful between the Gambian authorities and Maiden. They are not responding; or are ignoring our communications.

How things will proceed further after the submission of your report?

We recommend total blacklisting and ban on their (Maiden Pharmaceuticals) products and advise the Gambia government to pursue them legally in international courts.

What about the causality link between deaths and syrups, which is still under scientific investigation?

The causality test is inconclusive so far. Once done, we will communicate back.

The Indian Government has been asking for causality link reports from the WHO, which have not been furnished. They have now given a clean chit to the firm by testing control samples. What do you have to say?

The products exported by Maiden pharmaceuticals to Gambia were found to have contaminants and we strongly go by the results we obtained as these are from WHO-accredited labs.