A series of children died from taking cough syrup.

On January 23, 2023, WHO announced that toxic substances in cough syrups were responsible for the deaths of more than 300 children from acute kidney failure in Indonesia, Uzbekistan, and The Gambia in 2022.

Since last year, there have been many cases of children dying of acute renal failure in Indonesia, numbering approximately 200.

Syrups contaminated with diethylene glycol were blamed as the cause.

To date, the same type of incident, the same causative agent, and the same syrup agent has been repeated almost four time.

This is an incident that has been repeated many times in the past.

Naturally, it should have been investigated to ensure that the product was not contaminated with diethylene glycol or other harmful substances before it was manufactured and sold.　

It should be said that the incident could have been prevented with a little caution.

Diethylene glycol (CAS RN: 111-46-6) Toxicity.

Diethylene glycol is a chemical used for plastics, printing inks, soluble oils, textile adhesives, brake oil, plasticizers, solvents for Yudex extraction, gas dehydration, cellophane softener, cement admixture, etc.

Oral ingestion causes abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, lethargy, confusion, and loss of consciousness. It has also been shown to affect the kidneys, central nervous system, and liver.

Ethylene glycol is metabolized in the body to oxalic acid, which deteriorates renal function and causes acute renal failure.

The likelihood of such an incident occurring is very low.

n response to diethylene glycol in pharmaceuticals, Japan's Pharmaceutical and Food Safety Bureau of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare revised the Japanese Pharmacopoeia and Cosmetics Standards on February 21, 2008, establishing a standard for purity testing of glycerin and concentrated glycerin of 0.1% or less diethylene glycol, which is on par with Europe and the US.

In addition, strict standards have been established for residual solvents in accordance with the international guideline ICH Q3c.

The likelihood of such an incident occurring is very low.

But why was an incident that had been repeated three times repeated four times?
We would like you to clarify the cause of this and ensure that it does not recur.

All concerned should do everything in their power to ensure that no more syrups containing diethylene glycol are administered to people.

Medicine is something that restores, maintains, and improves a person's health.

We hope this tragedy will be the last.

We would like to express my deepest condolences to the parents for the loss of their precious and irreplaceable treasured child, and my sincere prayers for the repose of their souls.