Licenses of 6 cough syrup makers suspended for rule violations, Maha govt

The Maharashtra government told the state Legislative Assembly on Friday that the licenses of six manufacturers of cough syrups in the state have been suspended for not following the rules.

Food and Drugs Administration Minister Sanjay Rathod made the statement while replying to a calling attention notice by Ashish Shelar (BJP) and others. Recently, a cough syrup made by a Noida-based firm was alleged to have caused the death of 18 children in Uzbekistan. Noida police on Friday said they had arrested three employees of the firm. Rathod said that the Maharashtra government had initiated inquiry against 84 out of 108 manufacturers of cough syrups in the state.

Four of them were directed to stop production while the licences of six companies were suspended, he said. As many as 17 firms were served show-cause notices for violation of rules, the minister added. Shelar referred to the deaths of 66 children in Gambia allegedly because of cough syrups imported from India. But the minister said that the company which was facing the charge of violation of rules in that case was based in Haryana and had no manufacturing unit in Maharashtra.

"We have, however, taken a strict action against the violators of rules. We are ensuring that the World Health Organization's GMP (good manufacturing practises) certification-related rules and Certificate of Pharmaceutical Products are complied with while exporting products (from the state)," he added. Presiding officer Sanjay Shirsat said if 20 per cent of manufacturers faced raids because of suspected violation of rules, it needs to be taken very seriously as it was akin to playing with people's lives. Rathod said of 996 allopathic drug manufacturers in the state, 514 manufacturers export their products.