Factories closed after dozens of deaths.
Indian authorities ordered the production of Marion Biotech to stop Thursday, after several deaths of children possibly caused by one of its cough syrups.
An announcement that reinforces the suspicion around multiple syrups and other cold medicines intended for the little ones, sold in Asia and Africa, and possibly contaminated with dangerous substances.
Which countries are concerned?
The Indian alert was launched after the discovery, in Uzbekistan, of the death of 18 children aged five months to four years, due to acute kidney failure after consuming a syrup called Dok-1 Max, produced by the company Marion Biotech, based near New Delhi.
The Uzbek Ministry of Health points to the presence of ethylene glycol, a toxic chemical used in the manufacture of antifreeze, brake fluid, paints and some plastics, cosmetics and dyes, in the composition of the product.
This Indian cough syrup is the latest in a long series of syrups singled out by several health authorities in recent months, following waves of child deaths in Southeast Asia and Africa since August.
In The Gambia, at least 66 children have died after ingesting cold and cough medicine, this time produced by Maiden Pharmaceuticals - also based in India.
The country then investigated the company, but authorities said last week that the suspected drugs were of "standard quality".
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Indonesia: syrups suspected of being the cause of a wave of deaths among children
In Indonesia, since August, at least 195 children have died from kidney failure, out of 320 who fell ill after taking cough and cold medicines.
Again, traces of ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol had been found in the composition of these products made, this time, in Indonesia.
What products are considered dangerous?
Several cold and cough products for children have been deemed "non-compliant" by the World Health Organization (WHO) in recent months.
In Africa, Promethazine oral solution, Kofexmalin, Makoff Baby and Magrip N Cold baby cough syrups, produced in India by Maiden Pharmaceuticals, were the subject of a WHO warning in October, due to "unacceptable amounts of ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol".
A month later, a similar alert was launched in Southeast Asia, denouncing the contamination of eight products: Flurin DMP syrups, Unibebi, Unibebi Demam Paracetamol, Vipcol, a specific batch of Termorex syrups, a paracetamol syrup from PT Afi Farma, Unibebi Demam and Paracetamol drops, also produced by PT Afi Farma.
What are the risks associated with these drugs?
Ingesting ethylene and/or one of its variants has very serious and even fatal consequences, especially for children, warns the WHO.
She lists symptoms such as “abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, inability to urinate, headache”, but also “mental impairment”, as well as “kidney damage resulting in death”.
Distributed in Gambia and Indonesia, the products in question could also be sold “in other countries or regions”, alerted the WHO in October and November.
The UN agency called for the immediate withdrawal of these drugs, and for "increased" surveillance of the "informal and deregulated" markets in the areas concerned.
The WHO also urged all local manufacturers of liquid medicines to check whether "syrups containing excipients such as propylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, sorbitol, or/or glycerin/glycerol", were not themselves contaminated.
