New Delhi: The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has directed drug manufacturers not to use Propylene Glycol, a Delhi-based company that supplies ingredients to Marion Biotech. Children in Uzbekistan reportedly died after drinking cough syrup from Marion Biotech. According to the DCGI, ‘Maya Chemtech India Pvt Ltd’ had supplied ‘Propylene Glycol’ used in the cough syrup of Marion Biotech, which was not found to be of “standard quality”.
Three employees of Marion Biotech have been arrested on charges of manufacturing and selling adulterated drugs. In addition, the drug inspector of the northern region of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) had last week issued a notice to Marion Biotech asking it to stop the sale and distribution of the drug in question.
Uzbekistan had alleged in December last year that “several children had died after consuming cough syrup from Marion Biotech”. Uzbekistan had claimed that the syrups had turned toxic due to the non-use of ethylene glycol or propylene glycol in prescribed quantities.
DCGI Rajeev Raghuvanshi, in a letter to licensing authorities of all states and union territories on March 7, said, “It is informed that Maya Chemtech India Private Limited was the main supplier of ‘Propylene Glycol’, which was used in the contaminated consignment.”. In view of the above, you are requested to issue instructions to all manufacturers not to use ‘Propylene Glycol’ supplied by Maya Chemtech India Pvt.
