Indian-made syrup found contaminated in Iraq, alerts WHO

Source: The post is based on the article “Indian-made syrup found contaminated in Iraq, alerts WHO”  published in The Hindu on 8th August 2023.

What is the News?

The World Health Organisation has raised an alert against an India-manufactured contaminated syrup sold in Iraq.

What is the alert WHO has issued?

Paracetamol syrup Cold Out is manufactured by Chennai-headquartered Fourrts Laboratories.

This syrup was found to contain 0.25% diethylene glycol (DG) and 2.1% ethylene glycol (EG), the WHO alert said. 

The acceptable limit for both contaminants in medical products is not more than 0.10 per cent.

WHO has issued an alert warning people against consuming the syrup as contaminants in these syrups are known to cause abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, headache, altered mental status, inability to pass urine, acute kidney injury and death.

Why is this a concern for India?

Atleast five of the syrups under scrutiny by WHO involves Indian manufacturers.

The contaminated India-made syrups have been linked to deaths of children in the Gambia, Uzbekistan and Cameroon. The most likely source of contaminants are solvents like propylene glycol, glycerine used for syrups. 

There have also been reports of bacterial contaminants in eye drops and ointments from the United States and Sri Lanka.