A local drugmaker based in Lagos was shuttered after contaminated teething syrup killed 25 infants and hospitalized at least 10 more,Reuters reports. The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says tests show the chemical diethylene glycol, a poisonous substance normally used in engine coolant, had triggered kidney failure in the infants.
The children died at three hospitals across Africa's most populous nation - the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), the UCH hospital in the southwestern town of Ibadan and the ABUTH hospital in the northern town of Zaria. "In all the recorded cases at ABUTH, UCH and LUTH the drug common to all the patients was My Pikin baby teething mixture," NAFDAC said in a statement. Symptoms included diarrhea, vomiting, fever, convulsions and an inability to pass urine for days.
The agency first received reports of a case of possible contamination from the Zaria hospital on November 19 and that it had started confiscating batches of the syrup two days later after carrying out tests. The manufacturer, Barewa Pharmaceuticals, was subsequently shut down, but could not immediately be reached for comment, Reuters writes.
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Anybody who thinks this couldn't have happened in the United States, might want to check out the Barewa on-line web-site, where it's quite easy for anybody to buy pharmaceutical products directly from Barewa.
The contact person is Mr kola okujlola
Link to Barewa on-line purchasing site: http://www.maharashtradirectory.com/viewCompanyDetails.asp?compid=824782
More info on Barewa
BAREWA PHARMACEUTICALS LTD. Our Products: Pharmaceuticals Address: 1-5,Olugbo Close,Shasha Rd.,Akowonjo,Lagos Contact: 023401 4822982,0 Contact Person : MR.KOLA OKUJLOLA - M.D
The product responsible for the deaths of 25 infants, My Pikin, is a brand of paracetamol syrup.
Paracetamol is known in the U.S. as acetaminophen; the active ingredient in OTC drugs like Tylenol and various brands of children’s cough syrup. Acetaminophen products are produced all over the world for companies like Johnson & Johnson.
One such manufacturer of acetaminophen products for J&J is VITA BIOPHARMA PRIVATE LIMITED
VITA BIOPHARMA PRIVATE LIMITED Daman, Diu and Daman, India Pharmaceuticals Products - Manufacturer, Pvt. Ltd. Firm Since 1999
Products: We would like to introduce ourselves as a Leading Contract Manufacturers of Formulations[Creams,Lotions, Emulsions,Ointments,Syrups], Bulk Drugs, Cosmetics and Herbal Products of various companies. With a WHO & ISO Certification and a group turnover or Rs.350 crores.
We are manufacturing various products for M/S Johnson & Johnson Ltd Child Care products like Baby Cream, Baby Shampoo, Baby Hair Oil, Baby Lotion, Baby Soap and Baby Oil.Skin Care products like Skin Balancing Moisturising Lotion, Clean & Clear Facial Wash, Antiseptic Liquid like Savlon Antiseptic Liquid.
http://pharmaceuticals.indiabizclub.com/profile/865024~vita+biopharma+private+limited~daman_india
If history has taught us anything, it's that rogue companies will substitute the renal toxin diethylene glycol for the more-expensive glycerin in their products—regardless of the known, lethal consequences. Incidents like this extend back to 1937 (in the US, no less): http://bmartinmd.com/2008/11/diethylene-glycol-reappearsaga.html.
Just an historical note - it was the use of this same deadly chemical (diethylene glycol) as the base for an antibiotic "treatment" that led to the US Food Drug and Cosmetic Act in 1938. Before the FD&C, there was no safety requirement for medicines sold in the US. In the so-called Elixer of Sulfanilamide incident, the only law that was broken was mislabeling because an "Elixer" means an alcohol based liquid - and this medicine was actually the deadly diethylene glycol. (see - http://www.fda.gov/oc/history/elixir.html)