India will force exporters of cough syrups to have their samples tested at government laboratories before exporting, following the deaths of dozens of children in several countries linked to Indian drugs, authorities announced Tuesday.
“The export of cough syrups will be allowed subject to the testing of export samples and the production of a certificate of analysis issued by any of the laboratories (…), from June 1, 2023″, the General Directorate of Foreign Trade (DGFT) reported in a statement.
India has faced international scrutiny in recent months following alerts issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other regional authorities, after several adulterated cough syrups were linked to the deaths of 78 children in Uzbekistan and in Gambia.
A controversy that led the Indian authorities to stop the production of drugs related to these events and to withdraw the manufacturing license of one of the laboratories involved last March.
In addition to these cases, the Indian pharmaceutical industry has seen other similar cases in recent months, with other drugs intended for export under suspicion.
The WHO issued an alert a month ago about another cough syrup that was distributed on several Pacific islands, after finding samples adulterated with large amounts of potentially toxic components.
In February, it was an ophthalmic solution produced in India and marketed in the United States that prompted a warning from US health authorities, linking it to a series of eye infections, permanent vision loss and one death from a bloodstream infection. .
However, the inspection carried out by the Indian toilets ruled out that the ophthalmological solution was contaminated despite the warning from the American country.
India is known as ‘the world’s pharmacy’ for its large-scale production of low-cost generic drugs and active ingredients, as well as for having the second largest number of Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved production facilities. , in English), after the United States.
India’s domestic pharmaceutical market ranks among the 14 largest in the world, according to the Indian Brand Image Foundation (IBEF).
Source: EFE
Source: Gestion
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