Health

Toxic paracetamol syrup kills dozens of Nigerian babies

by Miriam Mannak | January 21, 2009 at 05:42 am

1164 views | 71 Recommendations | 9 comments

Nigeria's health authorities are warming citizens of a toxic paracetamol syrup which has killed dozens of children two months after they started teething. It is yet to be determined which ingredient of the syrup is causing kidney failure of which the children have died.

Laboratory test are being run at the moment, while the country's food and drug control agency NAFDAC to carry out further tests. Parents are advised no to give their children any brand of paracetamol syrup until it is clear what has caused the deaths.

It is not the first time that children in Nigeria have died after taking a teething mixture "My Pikin". The drug was taken out of circulation.

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Paschen

at 06:07 on January 21st, 2009

Similar cases have been recorded in the UK, Canada, the USA and Haiti and subsequent warnings have been issued over the past couple of weeks, even in China, Japan and Korea some recalls have been under way as well.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/07/13/toxic_toothpaste_alert/

Art_By_Alida

at 09:13 on January 21st, 2009

I bet it's more contaminated ingredients from China...

Art_By_Alida

at 09:14 on January 21st, 2009

The article you posted here was from the tooth paste recalls in 2007....bad ingredients from China AGAIN.

Miriam Mannak

at 06:11 on January 21st, 2009

Yup - I know. And every case is as horrific as the other. Can you imagine losing you child by a simple drug as paracetamol?

Paschen

at 06:37 on January 21st, 2009

No, I would not wish that on my worth enemy to have to endure the loss of a child.

Jordan Yerman

at 07:10 on January 21st, 2009

I agree with Paschen.

Amy Judd

at 09:59 on January 21st, 2009

This would just be the worst thing to happen to new parents - how awful.

car1edb

at 10:12 on January 21st, 2009

Regulation, Regulation, Regulation?

- Maybe too many corners being cut to undercut other markets and stay economically viable, seems to be the norm in that industry. Especially when it comes to "testing" in Africa to bring a drug to market.

$talks.

Barbara McPherson

at 17:28 on January 21st, 2009

This reminds me of picking up my prescription meds the other day. The pharmacist had taken it upon himself to substitute my brand name meds for generic ones. I asked him the source of the generic drugs. He didn't know! You can bet I stuck with the brand name ones.