Uzbekistan cough syrup deaths: India's pharma exports body suspends membership of Marion Biotech

India's pharma exports body the Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil) today suspended the membership of Marion Biotech Pvt Ltd after the company failed to reply to the council on the report on children's death allegedly caused by their cough syrup.

The suspension comes into immediate effect and means that Marion Biotech's exports are to become ineligible for incentives under the Market Access Initiative Scheme.

Uzbekistan government had claimed that the cause behind deaths of 18 children in the country, were the drugs manufactured by the firm. Uzbekistan is the second country that alleged Indian-made drugs to have caused the death of children.  

Uzbekistan’s Health Ministry has claimed that the children suffering from acute respiratory disease died after drinking the Dok-1 Max cough syrup manufactured by Noida-based Marion Biotech.

The health ministry said in an official statement, “To date, 18 out of 21 children with acute respiratory disease have died as a result of taking the Doc-1 Max syrup. It was found that the deceased children, before admission to hospital treatment, took this drug at home for 2-7 days 3-4 times a day, 2.5-5 ml, which exceeds the standard dose of the drug for children."

Marion Biotech has a plant in Noida and caters to the domestic and global markets. The company describes itself as a dynamic ‘Health Care Company’ committed to offering the best Pharmaceuticals, Nutraceuticals, Herbals & Cosmetic products through a high level of persistent Research & Development.

The firm manufactures products for the Indian market and exports to various countries across the globe in CIS (Russia and ex-Soviet Republics), South East Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Also read: Govt seeks causality status after Indian syrup linked to deaths of 18 kids in Uzbekistan

Also read: Uzbekistan cough syrup deaths: Marion Biotech halts manufacturing; drugs controller launches probe