Cough syrup tragedy: Karnataka on high alert, samples sent for testing, says Health Minister Rao
Hassan: Following the cough syrup tragedy in Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, and Puducherry, the state of Karnataka has taken strict precautions, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said on Monday and samples of many pharma firms have been sent for testing.
Speaking to the media on Monday in Chennarayapatna, Hassan, the minister clarified that substandard cough syrup has not been supplied in Karnataka.
Minister Rao stated, “As a precautionary measure, samples of all companies’ cough syrups are being collected and sent for testing. The department has taken proactive steps to test cough syrups in the state.”
“The Drug Control Department has been on alert since the beginning and is testing a large number of medicines, with Karnataka being among the leading states in this effort. We will get results in two to three days time,” he said.
“In the whole country, the maximum samples have been collected and sent for testing in Karnataka state. We are at the forefront in this regard. I had written to the Centre urging for transparency in connection with matters related to drugs. We need to share information among states. Because, the manufacturers will be operating from a different region and they distribute it to other places in the country. In Karnataka, if it is revealed that the samples of a particular drug are not safe, the information should be known to all states of the country,” Minister Rao stated.
“Likewise, if in any other state, any thing related to drugs is revealed, it should be made known to us immediately. In this background, a website should be developed and all such information should be available,” Minister appealed.
“We are releasing advisory on the usage of cough syrup from the health department today over precautions,” he said.
The State Health Department has issued guidelines to officials regarding the use of cough syrup. “Samples of all cough syrups from different companies are already being collected and tested,” Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said.
Cough syrups that have caused child deaths in other states have not been supplied in Karnataka. “No such incidents have occurred here,” the Health Minister clarified. He added that the tragedies in Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, and Puducherry were due to negligence on the part of the pharmaceutical manufacturing units.
Banned substances are used in the manufacturing of those cough syrups and the volume was also high. Parents should be extremely careful when giving any cough syrup to children under five years of age. The minister advised limiting the consumption of cough syrups.
Earlier, a letter was sent to the Central government regarding drug adulteration, counterfeit medicines, and testing. The Health Minister urged the Centre to immediately set up a dedicated website to quickly share information nationwide in cases of drug adulteration.
He emphasised that strict laws need to be implemented to curb drug adulteration and that the Centre should establish a mechanism for effective information sharing between states.