Congress chief Jairam Ramesh spreads misinformation about India-made medicines

On December 29, Congress chief Jairam Ramesh printed a tweet spreading misinformation about India-made cough syrups. In his tweet, he claimed that cough syrup made in India was linked to the deaths of round 70 children in Gambia, and now 18 kids have died in Uzbekistan due to a cough syrup made in India.

Jairam Ramesh focused India for the unlucky deaths of 18 kids in Uzbekistan. Source: Twitter

He mentioned, “Made-in-India cough syrups seem to be deadly. First, it was the deaths of 70 kids in Gambia, and now it is that of 18 children in Uzbekistan. Modi Sarkar must stop boasting about India being a pharmacy to the world and take the strictest action.” Notably, the studies concerning the loss of life of kids in Gambia being linked to drugs manufactured in India have already been debunked.

‘While hating Modi, you have started hating the country’ – Netizens react

Soon after Ramesh’s tweet, netizens known as him out for hating India on the pretext of focusing on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. BJP’s nationwide spokesperson Sambit Patra mentioned, “The Gambian authorities and as well as DCGI have already clarified that the death of children in Gambia has nothing to do with the ‘Made in India’ cough syrup but in the garb of hating Modi, Congress always ends up manifesting its deep-rooted hatred for India.”

The Gambian authorities and in addition to DCGI have already clarified that the loss of life of kids in Gambia has nothing to do with the ‘Made in India’ cough syrup however within the garb of hating Modi, Congress at all times finally ends up manifesting its deep rooted hatred for India. https://t.co/NKZg39zKKw

— Sambit Patra (@sambitswaraj) December 29, 2022

Twitter person Rahul Raj (bhak_sala) mentioned, “If you wonder why India became a trading hub entirely dependent on China, research how politicians of India killed innovation and manufacturing in India for petty political gains and money.”

If you surprise why India turned a buying and selling hub solely depending on China, analysis how politicians of India killed innovation and manufacturing in India for petty political positive factors and cash. https://t.co/CXqu8TGFCL

— Rahul Raj (@bhak_sala) December 29, 2022

Banker Chetan Bragta mentioned, “Congress chief Jairam Ramesh in his hatred has forgotten that he’s additionally a citizen of this India. They mustn’t make such allegations with none proof. It is a matter of nice disgrace that he’s questioning the fame of the nation he lives in.

Congress chief @Jairam_Ramesh in his hatred has forgotten that he’s additionally a citizen of this India. They mustn’t make such allegations with none proof.
It is a matter of nice disgrace that he’s questioning the fame of the nation he lives in. https://t.co/FYgSX2bI2m

— Chetan Bragta (@chetanbragta) December 29, 2022

Twitter person VJ mentioned, “While hating Modi, you people have started hating the country.”

मोदी से नफ़रत करते करते तुम लोग देश से नफ़रत करने लगे हो। https://t.co/a6JdKm1Hnh pic.twitter.com/StZAVodN1C

— VJ (@MeraNamVijay) December 29, 2022
The deaths of kids in Uzbekistan

Around 21 kids in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, had been reported to have fallen sick after taking a medication known as Dok-1 Max, a cough syrup of Indian origin. 18 of those 21 kids died whereas getting therapy within the hospital, following the studies that kids fell sick after taking Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Health issued an advisory to instantly cease the drugs sale within the nation.

Док 1 Макс даян шамоллоша карши дорини ишлатмангла. Ножуя таъсири натижасида боллода буйрак ишламин колади акан. Самаркандда шу дорини ичиб больнисага тушган 21 болодан 15 таси улган.

(C) инсайдерлар pic.twitter.com/sw8mdRh62S

— Abbos Kh (@ibnAlisher) December 20, 2022

In a letter shared by Twitter person Abbos Kh, the Ministry of Health was knowledgeable concerning the incident on December 15 by the administration of Children’s Multidisciplinary Medical Centre, Samarkand. The letter famous that kids took Dok-1 Max drugs through the therapy of viral illness, a preferred drugs amongst major care docs. (OpIndia used Google Translator and Google Lens for the interpretation of the letter.)

It additional famous that the drugs may trigger extreme unwanted effects, together with kidney harm. In two months, 21 sufferers had been admitted to the hospital, out of which 17 had extreme unwanted effects, and 15 died. The letter additional urged the Ministry to ban the mentioned drugs amongst kids.

On December 22, a press launch was issued on the official Telegram Channel of Uzbekistan’s Health Ministry informing concerning the unwanted effects of the drugs. Pharmaceutical Network Development Agency mentioned within the assertion {that a} group of specialists was shaped to look at the drugs Dok-1 Max manufactured by India’s Marion Biotech Pvt Ltd. The sale of the drugs was quickly suspended until additional discover. (OpIndia used Google Translator and Google Lens for the interpretation of the press launch.)

December 22 press launch. Source: Telegram

On December 27, Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Health issued a press launch saying that the outcomes of Dok-1 Max syrup confirmed the crime and that the outcomes had been despatched to regulation enforcement companies. As per the press launch, Marion Biotech Pvt Ltd’s Dok-1 Max tablets and syrup had been registered within the nation in 2012. The drug was imported to Uzbekistan by Kiramax Medical LLC. (OpIndia used Google Translator and Google Lens for the interpretation of the press launch.)

December 27 press launch. Source: Telegram

After the loss of life of 18 out of 21 kids who reportedly obtained sick with acute respiratory ailments, a probe was initiated. During the investigation, the Ministry’s officers discovered that the youngsters took drugs for 2-7 days as much as 2.5-5 millilitres 3-4 occasions a day. The dose taken by the youngsters was far more than usually prescribed for the youngsters.

Furthermore, the drugs was taken with out a physician’s prescription. The important ingredient of the drugs is paracetamol, which confused the dad and mom, and so they used it incorrectly as an anti-cold drugs independently or on the advice of the pharmacists. “This caused the condition of patients to worsen,” the Ministry added.

The laboratory additionally discovered traces of ethylene glycol, a contaminant, within the syrup, which is a poisonous substance, and 1-2 ml of a 95% focus may cause extreme harm to the affected person’s well being. Side results of the contaminant embrace vomiting, lethargy, seizures, cardiovascular issues and acute kidney failure.

The Ministry took motion towards seven staff. Quite a few specialists had been disciplined for his or her carelessness and inattention to their duties as they didn’t analyse deaths on time and didn’t take obligatory actions. The drugs was withdrawn from sale throughout the nation. The Ministry additional urged the dad and mom to not give drugs to kids with out a prescription from a physician.

On the identical day, the Minister of Health, B. Musaev, expressed his condolences to the dad and mom and relations of 18 kids who died. He additionally assured that the culprits concerned within the case can be held accountable.

Statement by Health Minister. Source: Telegram
India’s motion within the Uzbekistan case

Soon after the authorities in India had been knowledgeable concerning the incident, an inquiry into the Noida-based drug producer was initiated. Hindustan Times quoted an unnamed official from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) saying that the Drugs Controller of India and the Uzbek regulator are involved. The info was being shared associated to the matter. “Drugs Controller General of India is in contact with the Uzbek regulator to obtain detailed information. This company, it seems, has been supplying drugs to Uzbekistan for a long period of time,” he mentioned.

On Tuesday, the Union Drug Regulatory knowledgeable the Uttar Pradesh Drug Licensing Authority to provoke an inquiry. Samples had been taken from the manufacturing unit by the north zone drug regulatory group of the central authorities and state drug regulatory groups. AK Jain, Deputy Commissioner, DCLA UP, mentioned, “As soon as we received an email from the central drugs regulatory team that an inquiry needed to be conducted today, we immediately formed an investigating team comprising the assistant commissioner of drugs (Meerut division) and drug inspector from Gautam Buddh Nagar (Uttar Pradesh) to join the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (north zone) to investigate the allegations.”

Quoting Central Drugs Controller’s officers, HT famous that the samples had been taken from the exported and present batches of the drugs and despatched to a laboratory for testing. The motion shall be taken as per the report. Furthermore, one other officer informed HT that the corporate’s representatives had been questioned concerning the uncooked materials for the drugs. The officer added, “The tests of Maiden samples conducted in India did not find anything concrete; therefore, it will not be prudent to make any comments at this stage on Marion’s samples. Let’s wait for the test report.”

In an announcement, Marion Biotech Pharma Company authorized head Hasan Raza informed ANI, “We regret deaths, the government is conducting the inquiry. We will take action as per the report. Samples were collected. Manufacturing of that product has been halted as of now and other processes are underway.”

On December 29, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, mentioned, “Regarding reports from Uzbekistan concerning contaminated cough syrup made by Indian company Marion Biotech, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) under the Ministry of Health & FW, Govt of India is in regular contact with the national drug regulator of Uzbekistan since 27th December.”

The samples of the cough syrup have been taken from the manufacturing premises and despatched to Regional Drugs Testing Laboratory, Chandigarh for testing. (3/3)

— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) December 29, 2022

He added, “Immediately on receipt of the information, a joint inspection of Marion Biotech’s Noida facility was carried out by UP Drug Control and the CDSCO team. Further action as appropriate would be initiated based on the inspection report. The samples of the cough syrup have been taken from the manufacturing premises and sent to Regional Drugs Testing Laboratory, Chandigarh for testing.”

Immediately on receipt of the data, a joint inspection of Marion Biotech’s Noida facility was carried out by UP Drug Control and the CDSCO group. Further motion as applicable can be initiated primarily based on the inspection report. (2/3)

— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) December 29, 2022

There are two points of the report. The first ethylene glycol was current within the drugs. Secondly, it was famous by Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Health that top doses of the drugs got to the youngsters with out a legitimate prescription from a physician. As the probe into the matter is underway, it will likely be too quickly to say and blame the Indian drug absolutely for the unlucky incident.

The case of kids’s loss of life in Gambia

On December 16, it was reported that India’s Drugs Controller General Dr VG Somani wrote a letter to Dr Rogerio Gaspar, Director of Regulation and Prequalification on the World Health Organization. In this letter, Somani asserted that the Indian cough syrups from Maiden Pharma meet the mandatory regulatory requirements and are, due to this fact, innocent.

He added that the WHO’s assertion blaming Indian cough syrups for the deaths of kids in Gambia had impacted India’s picture on the planet adversely. Somani’s letter was written in response to the WHO’s letter dated December 6 2022. Notably, the WHO blamed India’s Maiden prescription drugs for the deaths of kids within the Gambia in October. In October 2022, the WHO feared the youngsters died from the corporate’s cough syrup.

On Wednesday, October 12 2022, the Central Government constituted a four-member skilled committee to probe the World Health Organization (WHO) studies on the deaths of 66 kids within the Gambia, which was swiftly blamed on cough syrups made by Sonipat-based agency Maiden Pharmaceuticals Limited. According to an order from the Haryana authorities, Maiden Pharmaceuticals Limited’s agency in Sonipat was instructed to stop producing all cough syrups. A show-cause discover for 12 irregularities found on the firm’s manufacturing facility was additionally issued. The letter written by Dr VG Somani additionally informs the WHO director about this.

In November this yr, an Economic Times report acknowledged that the specialised company of the United Nations (UN) has failed to supply the paperwork to the Indian authorities, that are required to additional the investigation into the deaths of 70 deceased kids in Gambia.

“The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation(CDSCO), the drug regulator in India, has written thrice to the World Health Organisation but to no avail. So far, it has received no response from WHO,” the report added.

China turns into ‘black market’ for Indian Covid medication

As per the Hindustan Times report, the Chinese pharmaceutical market has grow to be a ‘black market’ for Indian generic Covid medication. While the Chinese authorities has accredited two antiviral medication, Pfizer’s Paxlovid and Azvudine (HIV drug by Genuine Biotech of China), the medicines are solely accessible in chosen hospitals. China is at present dealing with an unprecedented surge in Covid-19 instances. As per WHO, 159,232 new instances had been reported by the Chinese authorities within the final seven days. 472 folks have misplaced their lives within the final week because of problems related to Covid-19.

The residents of China have turned their hope in the direction of Indian generic Covid medication. However, they’re being obtained through unlawful channel. Indian medication like Primovir, Paxista, Molnunat and Molnatris have entered the Chinese market through unlawful channels and can be found on Weibo. However, as they aren’t accredited by the Chinese authorities, promoting them is a punishable offence.

HT quoted Sahil Munjal, chairman of the Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil), who informed Reuters that Indian corporations had been getting quote requests for ibuprofen and paracetamol. If required, the manufacturing of those medication shall be stepped as much as meet the Chinese market necessities.