Reuters has learned the details of the case of the Indian pharmaceutical company Marion
Uzbekistan
According to sources of the Reuters agency, the Indian company Marion Biotech used a toxic ingredient of industrial production in the DOK-1 Max syrup. The exporter of the ingredient for Marion notes that he did not know about the pharmaceutical company's plans to use it to make cough syrups.
An Indian manufacturer of cough syrups that poisoned 19 children in Uzbekistan last year used a toxic industrial ingredient rather than a legal pharmaceutical version, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Marion Biotech has bought an ingredient — propylene glycol (PG) — from Maya Chemtech India, according to Reuters. But Maya did not have a license to sell pharmaceutical-quality materials, and it "only traded in industrial drugs," according to a source at the firm with knowledge of the Marion investigation.
"We didn't know that Marion was going to use it to make cough syrups," said the source, who declined to give his last name during the investigation of the case. "They don't tell us where our material is used."
Two sources reported that the syrup was made using industrial GHG, a toxic material widely used in liquid detergents, antifreeze, paints or coatings, as well as to enhance the effectiveness of pesticides.
"Marion bought industrial—grade propylene glycol," said a second source, an investigator who declined to give his name while the investigation is underway.
"They had to take propylene glycol of the Indian pharmacopoeia class," the source added, referring to national standards for the composition of pharmaceutical products.
Marion also did not test the ingredient before using it in syrups that she sold to Uzbekistan, the investigator said.
According to the Indian rules for the production of medicines and cosmetics, manufacturers are responsible for the safety of the ingredients they use.
Maya has not been charged, according to a company source, but the investigation is ongoing. Deepak Sharma, assistant controller of medicines in the National Capital Territory of Delhi, where Maya is located, declined to comment, saying that the case is being investigated by federal drug enforcement agencies.
The Marion company, which claims to be engaged in pharmaceuticals, herbs and cosmetics, has previously denied any wrongdoing. Neither the company, nor India's medicines regulator, nor the Ministry of Health responded to requests for comment.
An analysis conducted last year by the Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan showed that the cough syrups "Ambronol" and "DOK-1 Max" produced by Marion contained an unacceptable amount of diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol (EG) toxins used in products not intended for human consumption.
In January, Uzbekistan arrested four people in connection with 19 deaths, including two executives of a company that imported Marion drugs. Reuters could not find out the status of this case.
Marion Biotech has bought an ingredient — propylene glycol (PG) — from Maya Chemtech India, according to Reuters. But Maya did not have a license to sell pharmaceutical-quality materials, and it "only traded in industrial drugs," according to a source at the firm with knowledge of the Marion investigation.
"We didn't know that Marion was going to use it to make cough syrups," said the source, who declined to give his last name during the investigation of the case. "They don't tell us where our material is used."
Two sources reported that the syrup was made using industrial GHG, a toxic material widely used in liquid detergents, antifreeze, paints or coatings, as well as to enhance the effectiveness of pesticides.
"Marion bought industrial—grade propylene glycol," said a second source, an investigator who declined to give his name while the investigation is underway.
"They had to take propylene glycol of the Indian pharmacopoeia class," the source added, referring to national standards for the composition of pharmaceutical products.
Marion also did not test the ingredient before using it in syrups that she sold to Uzbekistan, the investigator said.
According to the Indian rules for the production of medicines and cosmetics, manufacturers are responsible for the safety of the ingredients they use.
Maya has not been charged, according to a company source, but the investigation is ongoing. Deepak Sharma, assistant controller of medicines in the National Capital Territory of Delhi, where Maya is located, declined to comment, saying that the case is being investigated by federal drug enforcement agencies.
The Marion company, which claims to be engaged in pharmaceuticals, herbs and cosmetics, has previously denied any wrongdoing. Neither the company, nor India's medicines regulator, nor the Ministry of Health responded to requests for comment.
An analysis conducted last year by the Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan showed that the cough syrups "Ambronol" and "DOK-1 Max" produced by Marion contained an unacceptable amount of diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol (EG) toxins used in products not intended for human consumption.
In January, Uzbekistan arrested four people in connection with 19 deaths, including two executives of a company that imported Marion drugs. Reuters could not find out the status of this case.
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