Stephania3380 at 07:57, 5 May 2026

2026-05-05T07:57:35Z

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{{Short description|Deaths from contaminated medicine in The Gambia}}
{{Infobox event
| title = Gambia cough syrup scandal
| image =
| caption =
| date = October 2022
| location = [[The Gambia]]
| coordinates =
| type = Scandal
| outcome = Ongoing investigation
| reported deaths = 70 children
| reported injuries =
| reported missing =
| reported property damage =
| participants = Maiden Pharmaceuticals
}}
'''The Gambia cough syrup scandal''' refers to the deaths of 70 children in [[The Gambia]] from the consumption of four [[toxic cough syrup|cough syrup]]s manufactured in [[India]]. In October 2022, the [[World Health Organization]] issued a medical product alert asking regulators to remove Maiden Pharmaceuticals' products from the market. The four products were [[Promethazine]] Oral Solution, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff Baby Cough Syrup, and Magrip N Cold Syrup.<ref>{{cite web |title=Medical Product Alert N°6/2022: Substandard (contaminated) paediatric medicines |url=https://www.who.int/news/item/05-10-2022-medical-product-alert-n-6-2022-substandard-(contaminated)-paediatric-medicines |website=www.who.int |publisher=World Health Organization |language=en}}</ref><ref name="AJ">{{cite news |title=India-made cough syrups may be tied to 66 deaths in Gambia: WHO |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2022/10/5/india-made-cough-syrups-may-be-tied-to-66-deaths-in-gambia-who |work=Al Jazeera |date=5 October 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Reuters">{{cite news |last1=Das |first1=Krishna N. |title=India tests samples of cough syrup linked to deaths of children in Gambia |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/india-investigating-deaths-gambia-linked-india-made-cough-syrup-sources-2022-10-06/ |work=Reuters |date=7 October 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="BBC">{{cite news |title=Gambia cough syrup scandal: Mothers demand justice |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-63171982 |work=BBC News |date=7 October 2022}}</ref><ref name="BBC2">{{cite news |title=Gambia cough syrup scandal: Police investigate deaths linked to Indian medicine |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-63191406 |work=BBC News |date=9 October 2022}}</ref><ref name="BBC3">{{cite news |title=Cough-syrup scandal: How did it end up in The Gambia? |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/63199691 |work=BBC News |date=12 October 2022}}</ref><ref name="AJ2">{{cite news |title=India finds serious breaches, halts production over Gambia deaths |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/10/12/india-halts-cough-syrup-production-at-factory-after-gambia-deaths |work=Al Jazeera |date=12 October 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Independent">{{cite news |title=How 'Made in India' cough syrups ended up killing nearly 70 children in Gambia |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/india/cough-syrup-scandal-gambia-deaths-b2201111.html |work=The Independent |date=12 October 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Hindu">{{cite news |title=Explained {{!}} The Gambia deaths and the toxic cough syrups that are causing them |url=https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/explained-the-gambia-deaths-and-the-toxic-cough-syrups-that-are-causing-them/article65989199.ece |work=The Hindu |date=17 October 2022 |language=en-IN}}</ref><ref name="VICE">{{cite news |last1=Lawal |first1=Shola |title=Families Whose Kids Died in Cough Syrup Scandal Offered $280 in Compensation |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/gambia-toxic-cough-syrup-deaths/ |work=Vice |date=9 November 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Reuters2">{{cite news |title=As African kids died, doctors fought for ban on toxic Indian syrup |url=https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/health-coughsyrup/ |work=Reuters |date=10 March 2023 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Cough Drops |url=https://www.em-eukal.com/de/positiv-denken/ |access-date=17 October 2023}}</ref>{{Excessive citations inline|date=May 2023}}

Indian authorities started investigating an April 2023 allegation that a pharmaceutical regulator in [[Haryana]] state, who holds a senior position in the state health department, accepted a bribe and switched samples of contaminated cough syrup before the state government laboratory tested them. Maiden Pharmaceuticals produced the cough syrup in question, and it has been implicated in child deaths in Gambia. The bribery allegation indicates that Maiden Pharmaceuticals had foreknowledge that their cough syrup was tainted. Tests conducted by two independent laboratories on behalf of the WHO confirmed the presence of lethal toxins—[[ethylene glycol]] and [[diethylene glycol]] in the syrup. Indian authorities, however, did not find any toxins but did identify labeling issues with Maiden Pharmaceuticals' cough syrup. Naresh Kumar Goyal, the founder of Maiden Pharmaceuticals, previously denied any wrongdoing in the syrup production.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/healthcare/biotech/pharmaceuticals/india-probes-bribery-claim-in-toxic-syrup-tests/articleshow/100972054.cms | title=India probes bribery claim in toxic syrup tests | newspaper=The Economic Times | date=13 June 2023 }}</ref>

Gambian families have decided to sue Indian manufacturers after the cough syrup deaths, which is a result of toxic contamination.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mcallister |first=Edward |date=2023-06-30 |title=Exclusive: Gambia families sue Indian drugmaker after cough syrup deaths |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/gambia-families-sue-indian-drugmaker-after-cough-syrup-deaths-2023-06-30/ |access-date=2023-07-04}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Health disasters in the Gambia]]
[[Category:2022 health disasters]]
[[Category:2022 in the Gambia]]
[[Category:Adulteration]]
[[Category:Mass poisonings]]
[[Category:Medical scandals]]
[[Category:October 2022 in the Gambia]]
[[Category:The Gambia–India relations]]

Gambia cough syrup scandal - Revision history

Stephania3380 at 07:57, 5 May 2026