Indian authorities initiated an investigation against the pharmaceutical business Marion Biotech, situated in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, after 18 infants died in Uzbekistan as a result of taking the company's medications, according to local media outlets.

This comes after the Uzbek Health Ministry verified the deaths of 18 of the 21 youngsters who ingested the Marion Biotech cough medication, Doc-1 Max, on Tuesday. Laboratory examinations indicated the presence of ethylene glycol, a hazardous chemical, in a batch of syrups. Then, medical examination materials have been turned over to police enforcement.

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According to NDTV, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization and the Uttar Pradesh Drug Controlling and Licensing Authority will undertake a joint investigation into the occurrence.

The syrup was initially utilized as a cold treatment by the parents and was given to children in doses exceeding the standard without a doctor's prescription. The Doc-1 Max tablets and syrups have been withdrawn from all pharmacies in Uzbekistan following the incident, according to the Ministry.

This is the second such occurrence using cough syrup manufactured in India in 2022. The Gambian government reported the deaths of 70 youngsters from acute renal failure in October. The country's officials blamed the deaths on the administration of deadly medications manufactured in India.

Read more: Cough syrup investigated over death of 66 children in The Gambia