Uzbekistan Cough Syrup Deaths: Noida-based Marion Biotech’s Licence Likely To Be Cancelled, Says Report

Marion Biotech had come under the scanner in December last year for two of its cough syrups which are suspected to have led to the death of 18 children in Uzbekistan.

Outlook Web Desk

Updated on: 4 March 2023 5:32 pm

Dok-1 Max Syrup produced by Noida-based Marion Biotech

The Centre recommended the Uttar Pradesh Drug Controller Authority to cancel the manufacturing licence of Marion Biotech, the Noida-based pharma company entangled in the Uzbekistan cough syrup deaths controversy, after 22 out of 36 samples taken for testing from it were found adulterated with Ethylene glycol, Gautam Budh Nagar Drug inspector said, as reported by news agency ANI.

Marion Biotech had come under the scanner in December last year for two of its cough syrups, AMBRONOL and Dok-1, which are suspected to have led to the death of 18 children in Uzbekistan. The World Health Organisation (WHO) last month issued an advisory against the use of the two cough syrups for children in Uzbekistan.

On Friday, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) issued a notice to Marion Biotech asking it to stop the sale and distribution of the drug concerned, stating that the sample was found to be "not of standard quality".

Three employees of the firm – Tuhin Bhattacharya, head operation; Atul Rawat, manufacturing chemist; and Mool Singh, analytical chemist – were arrested on charges of manufacturing and sale of adulterated drugs after an FIR was lodged late Thursday night. “These people were engaged in preparation and sale of fake drugs which caused serious harm to public," Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Noida) Rajiv Dixit said.

The FIR listed five officials of Marion Biotech, including two of its directors – Jaya Jain and Sachin Jain – over a complaint by a drugs inspector of the CDSCO, the officials said. However, the directors of the company are at large and a search is underway to apprehend them as they “were endangering human life and human health”, the DCP said.

The FIR was registered under Indian Penal Code sections 274 (adulteration of drugs), 275 (sale of adulterated drugs), 276 (sale of the drug as a different drug or medical preparation) as well as under section 17 (misbranded drugs) and related violations of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.

This incident in Uzbekistan comes months after the World Health Organization (WHO) issued an alert for four "contaminated" cough syrups manufactured by an Indian drugmaker, Maiden Pharma, that have been "potentially linked" with acute kidney injuries and 66 deaths among children in the Gambia.