Indonesia’s Food and Drug Administration (BPOM) said it could criminally prosecute two drug companies that manufacture syrups linked to acute kidney injury when the number of cases and deaths in children I increased dramatically this year.
Authorities have temporarily banned the sale of some syrups. They identified ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol in some products as possible factors in the deaths of 141 children, most of them under the age of 5.
BPOM Director, Dr. Penny K. Lukito, informed that the agency will work with police to investigate the two companies for criminal action due to the ingredients in their drug products. Dr. Penny did not name the two companies.
“There are indications in those products that concentrations are too high, very toxic, and are suspected to be the cause of kidney damage,” Dr. Penny told a news conference.
Indonesian authorities said the number of cases and deaths spiked from August to October.
According to Ary News, when asked why the spike happened only recently, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said it was most likely due to changes in the raw composition of the drug. He said the government already has data on raw material imports and will share it in the near future.
Indonesia imports most of the raw materials for drug production from India and China.
Indonesia is investigating the increase in cases of acute kidney injury in consultation with pediatric experts and the World Health Organization (WHO). The situation is similar in the Gambia, where 69 pediatric deaths were related to syrup.
BPOM has named and banned three drugs that contain high levels of ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol.
