Govt makes testing of cough syrups mandatory before export

India will now allow the export of cough syrups only after the samples are tested in a government laboratory, the government said in a notice on Tuesday. This order comes after India-made cough syrups were found to be contaminated, and were linked to the deaths of dozens of children in Gambia and Uzbekistan. 

Exporters will be required to get their cough syrups tested from June 1 onwards, according to a notification issued on Monday by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), and shared by the health ministry on Tuesday. 

"Cough syrup shall be permitted to be exported subject to the export sample being tested and production of certificate of analysis," the notice issued by the trade ministry stated listing the laboratories that would issue the certificate. 

The CoA would be issued by the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission, Ghaziabad, CDL Kolkata, CDTL Chennai, CDTL Mumbai, CDTL Hyderabad, RDTL Chandigarh, RDTL Guwahati, and any NABL-accredited state drugs testing laboratories. 

This decision comes after reports stated earlier in the month that the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) proposed testing of cough syrups in government laboratories before they are exported. The health ministry then took up the proposal for consideration before issuing the notification. 

Last year, cough syrups made by two companies based near New Delhi were linked to the deaths of at least 70 children in Gambia and 19 in Uzbekistan. The cough syrups exported by manufacturers Maiden Pharmaceuticals Ltd and Marion Biotech contained lethal toxins. Both the companies had denied the allegations, and are being investigated.

More recently, in April, the World Health Organisation (WHO) flagged contaminated cough syrups made by Punjab-based QP Pharmachem Ltd, that were found in Marshall Islands and Micronesia. The cough syrups were marketed by Hyderabad-based Trillium Pharma.

Also read: WHO says contaminated cough syrup made in Punjab found in Marshall Islands, Micronesia

Also read: CDSCO considers testing cough syrups before export, says report