NEW DELHI: The Indian manufacturer of cough syrups that Uzbekistan said last year had poisoned 19 children used a toxic industrial-grade ingredient rather than the legitimate pharmaceutical version, two sources with knowledge of the matter said.

The company, Marion Biotech, bought the ingredient propylene glycol (PG) from trader Maya Chemtech India, as reported by Reuters. But Maya did not have a licence to sell pharmaceutical-grade materials and “dealt in industrial-grade only”, according to a source at the firm with knowledge of the Marion investigation.

“We did not know Marion was going to use it to make cough syrups,” said the person, who declined to be identified while the case is investigated. “We are not told where our material is used.” The two sources said the syrup was made with industrial-grade PG, a toxic material widely used in liquid detergents, antifreeze, paints or coatings, and to enhance the effectiveness of pesticides.

“Marion bought commercial-grade propylene glycol,” said a second source, an investigator, who declined to be named while the inquiry is ongoing.

19 children died in Uzbekistan after taking the medicine

“They were supposed to take Indian Pharmacopoeia-grade,” the source added, referring to national standards for the composition of pharmaceutical products. Marion also did not test the ingredient before using it in the syrups it sold to Uzbekistan, the investigator said.

India’s drugs and cosmetics rules say manufacturers are responsible to ensure the safety of ingredients they use.

Maya is not facing charges, according to the company source, but the investigation is ongoing. Deepak Sharma, an assistant drugs controller for the national capital territory of Delhi, where Maya is based, declined to comment, saying the case was being investigated by federal drugs authorities.

Marion, which says it deals in pharmaceuticals, herbal and cosmetics products, has previously denied any wrongdoing. Neither the company, nor India’s drug regulator or health ministry responded to requests for comment.

An analysis last year by Uzbekistan’s health ministry showed the Marion-made cough syrups, Ambronol and DOK-1 Max, contained unacceptable amounts of toxins diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol (EG), used in products that are not for human consumption.

Uzbekistan in January arrested four people in relation to the 19 deaths, including two executives at a company that imported the Marion drugs.

“Spurious and adulterated”

DEG and EG have been used by unscrupulous actors as a substitute for propylene glycol because they are cheaper, according to pharmaceutical manufacturing experts.

The World Health Organisation said earlier this month its working theory is that in 2021, when prices of propylene glycol spiked, one or more suppliers mixed the cheaper toxic liquids with the legitimate chemical.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2023