Cough syrup deaths: India seeks details from Uzbekistan on investigations

India is in touch with the Uzbek authorities and has sought details of the investigation carried out by them into the death of 18 children after allegedly consuming cough syrup made by an Indian firm, the External Affairs Ministry said on Thursday.

The Indian embassy in Tashkent also issued a statement on the matter and said it has maintained contacts with the Agency on Development of Pharmaceutical Industry and has requested it to share its investigation reports with the Indian side "so that necessary action may also be taken in India".

MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi also said consular assistance is being provided to some linked to the company who are facing legal action there.

Noting that the Uzbek authorities have not formally taken up the matter with New Delhi, he said,"nevertheless, our embassy has contacted the Uzbek side and is seeking further details of their investigation ... We understand that legal action has been initiated by the Uzbek authorities against some people, including the local representative of the company there".

"And in that context, we are extending necessary consular assistance to those individuals or individual," he said during a media briefing.

As per the Uzbek authorities, the deaths appeared to have taken place over a period of two months, he said.

Responding to a question on a 'similar incident' in Gambia, Baghi said he was "hesitant to term it as a similar incident or not".

"There are proper investigative mechanisms to find out what happened. Each incident would be different ... I think the health authorities are the experts on what the investigation process is," the spokesperson said.
He said the Indian pharmaceutical industry has been a reliable supplier to countries across the world and continues to be in various forms of medicines or other pharma products.

"We take very seriously incidents when they come up. Let us not jump the process without the full investigation," he said.
In the statement, the Indian embassy said it has been closely following the developments related to the unfortunate death of 18 children in Uzbekistan due to "alleged contamination" of the cough syrup Dok1 Max manufactured by an Indian company.

The Embassy expresses its sincere condolences to the family members of the victims of this tragedy, the statement said.

Under directions of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) of India has also been maintaining regular contact with the national drug regulator of Uzbekistan since December 27, it said.

Marion Biotech is a licensed manufacturer and holds the license for manufacturing Dok1 Max syrup and Tablet for export purposes granted by Drugs Controller, Uttar Pradesh, it noted.

The MEA's comments and the statement by the embassy came even as a probe has already been launched by the CDSCO in the matter and the manufacturing of Marion Biotech's Dok-1 Max has also been suspended.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya also said further action would be taken based on the inspection of the pharma company.