NEW DELHI, Dec 29: Though Uzbekistan has not yet taken up formally with New Delhi, India is in touch with the authorities in that country and has sought details of their investigation into the deaths of 18 children allegedly after consuming cough syrup made by an Indian company, the External Affairs Ministry said on Thursday.
MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi also said consular assistance was being provided to some linked to the company who are facing legal action there. “Our embassy has contacted the Uzbek side and is seeking further details of their investigation … We understand that legal action has been initiated by the Uzbek authorities against some people, including the local representative of the company there.” “And in that context, we are extending necessary consular assistance to those individuals or individual,” he said.
The comments came even as a team of Central agencies and the Uttar Pradesh drug department carried out an inspection at the Noida office of the pharmaceutical firm whose cough syrup is allegedly linked to the deaths, officials said. The company, Marion Biotech, does not sell the cough syrup, ‘Doc-1 Max’, in India and its only export has been to Uzbekistan, a State government official said.
The inspection began at Marion Biotech’s office in Noida Sector 67 on Thursday morning, Gautam Buddh Nagar Drug Inspector Vaibhav Babbar said. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has initiated a probe in connection with the death of 18 children in Uzbekistan allegedly linked to Marion Biotech.
Hasan Harris, legal representative of Marion Biotech, said the governments of both countries are looking into the matter and inquiring. “There is no problem from our end and no issue in testing. We have been there for the past ten years. Once the government report come, we will look into it. For now the manufacturing has stopped,” Mr. Harris said.
(Manas Dasgupta)
