By: Henrietta Afful
The World Health Organisation, WHO, says the four “substandard cough syrups identified in The Gambia, may have found their way into other countries in Africa.
WHO indicates that the products namely Promethazine Oral Solution, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff Baby Cough Syrup and Magrip N Cold Syrup “may have been distributed through informal markets.”
The global health body is therefore urging regulatory authorities to increase surveillance of the informal or unregulated market and also increase surveillance within the supply chains of countries ‘likely’ to be affected by these products.
According to WHO’s Medical Product Alert N°6/2022, laboratory analysis of samples of each of the four cough syrups confirmed that they contained unacceptable amounts of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol as contaminants.
Risks
When consumed, diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol are toxic to humans and can prove fatal.
Toxic effects can include abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, inability to pass urine, headache, altered mental state, and acute kidney injury which may lead to death.
WHO says all batches of the products should be considered ”unsafe” until they can be analyzed by the relevant National Regulatory Authorities.
It says their use, especially in children, may result in serious injury or death” .
Advice to regulatory authorities and the public
National regulatory bodies and health authorities have been advised to immediately notify WHO if the products are discovered in their respective countries
Anybody with information on the manufacture or supply of these products is advised to contact WHO via rapidalert@who.int
Substandard medical products
Substandard medical products are products that fail to meet either their quality standards or specifications and are, therefore “out of specification”.
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