Recurrence of paracetamol-related tragedy
Sunday, 26 July 2009
Nothing can be more painful than the news about the death of children from consuming adulterated paracetamol, a widely used over-the-counter analgesic and anti-pyretic drug. According to newspaper reports, some 34 children had acute renal failure, caused by paracetamol syrup contaminated with poisonous di-ethylene glycol. They were admitted to the city's Bangabandhu Medical University Hospital and the Dhaka Sishu Hospital over the last one and a half months and, at least, 25 of them died. Tanners and rubber factories, reportedly, use di-ethylene glycol. The authorities have closed down the operation of a drug manufacturing company at Barahmanbaria for its alleged involvement in the production of contaminated paracetamol.
In 1992, at least 339 children died following consumption of contaminated paracetamol and vitamin syrups, which are marketed particularly in rural areas by a section of little-known drug companies at cheaper prices. Experts say that consumption of these hazardous drugs and vitamins seriously affects the functioning of liver, kidney and nervous system, leading to untimely death of children. Many deaths due to the intake of spurious drugs go unreported and the Drug Administration plunges into action only when media reports are published on such incidents. Health Minister AFM Ruhul Huq has revealed that the government has constituted a seven-member committee to probe the incident and assured the people of taking tough measures against drug companies found involved in the production of contaminated drugs.
People also had witnessed similar actions in the wake of the death of children from the intake of contaminated paracetamol and vitamin syrups in 1992. Licences of at least five drug companies were cancelled and their owners got some mild punishments. One such company, reportedly, got a fresh licence to produce medicines under a new name. If this could be the situation after so many deaths of innocent children, who can stop spurious drug manufacturers to go on producing questionable, and even-life threatening, drugs? Two factors -- poverty and lax supervision -- are responsible for the recurrence of the tragic deaths of children from the intake of contaminated drugs. It has been observed that the victims of sub-standard drugs, generally, come from the poor and low-income families since their parents want to save money by buying low-priced drugs. Moreover, drugs produced by world class companies are, generally, pricier and not sold by rural drug stores since the poor and low-income people cannot afford them.
As far as supervisory aspects are concerned, the agency responsible for the job, the Drug Administration, is inefficient and corruption-ridden. True, it does not have even one-tenth of the capacity, in terms of manpower and other resources, needed to carry out the responsibility it is entrusted with. But that does not give it the licence to play with the lives of the people, including children. It is the job of the government to prevent production and marketing of sub-standard and contaminated drugs. In some countries, the people in-charge of overseeing the health sector activities would have left their offices taking responsibility of the tragic death of so many children. None expects such things to happen in this country. But the people would, at least, expect the government to take up the issue seriously and give exemplary punishment to persons found responsible. Besides, the Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries (BAPI) should play an active role in stopping such an unethical and inhuman act of manufacturing contaminated drugs by any company, whether it is a member of the association or not. It tarnishes the image of the entire sector.
In 1992, at least 339 children died following consumption of contaminated paracetamol and vitamin syrups, which are marketed particularly in rural areas by a section of little-known drug companies at cheaper prices. Experts say that consumption of these hazardous drugs and vitamins seriously affects the functioning of liver, kidney and nervous system, leading to untimely death of children. Many deaths due to the intake of spurious drugs go unreported and the Drug Administration plunges into action only when media reports are published on such incidents. Health Minister AFM Ruhul Huq has revealed that the government has constituted a seven-member committee to probe the incident and assured the people of taking tough measures against drug companies found involved in the production of contaminated drugs.
People also had witnessed similar actions in the wake of the death of children from the intake of contaminated paracetamol and vitamin syrups in 1992. Licences of at least five drug companies were cancelled and their owners got some mild punishments. One such company, reportedly, got a fresh licence to produce medicines under a new name. If this could be the situation after so many deaths of innocent children, who can stop spurious drug manufacturers to go on producing questionable, and even-life threatening, drugs? Two factors -- poverty and lax supervision -- are responsible for the recurrence of the tragic deaths of children from the intake of contaminated drugs. It has been observed that the victims of sub-standard drugs, generally, come from the poor and low-income families since their parents want to save money by buying low-priced drugs. Moreover, drugs produced by world class companies are, generally, pricier and not sold by rural drug stores since the poor and low-income people cannot afford them.
As far as supervisory aspects are concerned, the agency responsible for the job, the Drug Administration, is inefficient and corruption-ridden. True, it does not have even one-tenth of the capacity, in terms of manpower and other resources, needed to carry out the responsibility it is entrusted with. But that does not give it the licence to play with the lives of the people, including children. It is the job of the government to prevent production and marketing of sub-standard and contaminated drugs. In some countries, the people in-charge of overseeing the health sector activities would have left their offices taking responsibility of the tragic death of so many children. None expects such things to happen in this country. But the people would, at least, expect the government to take up the issue seriously and give exemplary punishment to persons found responsible. Besides, the Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries (BAPI) should play an active role in stopping such an unethical and inhuman act of manufacturing contaminated drugs by any company, whether it is a member of the association or not. It tarnishes the image of the entire sector.