TASHKENT (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th December, 2022) The State Security Service (SSS) of Uzbekistan has opened a criminal case after 18 children died after taking an Indian-made drug against acute respiratory viral infections, the SSS press service reported Tuesday.
Earlier in the day, the Uzbek Health Ministry confirmed the deaths of 18 children after taking Doc-1 Max tablets and syrup produced by the Indian company Marion Biotech. During laboratory tests, a toxic substance, namely ethylene glycol, was found in the syrup.
"On the fact of death of 18 children, which occurred as a result of taking the drug Doc-1 Max, a criminal case was initiated against officials of Quramax Medical (importer of the drug) and State Center for Expertise and Standardization of Medicines... under Article 186-3 of the Criminal Code (Violation of the order of retail sale of medicines containing potent substances)," the SSS said in a statement.
The article provides for 10 to 15 years of imprisonment.
Quramax Medical officials and employees of the center were detained and placed in the SSS detention facility, the statement read.
Ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol are used in pharmaceuticals in microscopic doses. The main uses of ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol are for explosives, automobile engine antifreeze, glass washer fluid, and some plastics.
In October, the Gambian government announced the deaths of 70 children from acute kidney failure. Authorities linked the deaths to children taking Indian syrups against cough containing toxic compounds. Indonesia also later announced the presence of ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol in some drugs as a possible cause of deaths of 141 children, most of whom were under the age of five.
