WHO Believes Contaminate Cough Syrup is no Longer in Africa

The World Health Organization said on Monday, April 22, 2024, that the contaminated batch of Benylin Pediatric Syrup is no longer available in the African countries where it was recalled last week.

Regulatory authorities in Nigeria recalled a batch of children’s cough and allergy medication after they found diethylene glycol in unacceptable levels in the medicine. Five other African countries including Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe, also recalled the medicine. 

The contaminated Benylin Syrup was made in South Africa by Johnson & Johnson in May 2021. However, Kenvue is the new owner of the brand after spinning out of Johnson & Johnson last year. J&J now refers requests for comment on the drug to Kenvue.

Last Friday, Kenvue released a statement saying they tested the batch of the medicine recalled from Nigeria and found no trace of the alleged toxic contaminants ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol. However, the company promised to continue working with health authorities in Nigeria to investigate the matter. 

Ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol are potentially deadly contaminants

Ethylene and diethylene glycol are highly toxic contaminants that can cause acute kidney failure. In 2022, ethylene glycol was implicated in the death of more than 300 children in Africa and Asia namely Cameroon, Gambia, Indonesia, and Uzbekistan. The contaminant was found in children’s cough syrups made in India and Indonesia.

Thankfully, no child has been reported harmed by the current incident. The WHO is also working with the company and regulatory authorities in different countries to ascertain the source of the contaminant and has not ruled out counterfeiting.

The global health agency said last Friday that it will likely issue a broader alert about Benylin. However, the agency said on Monday that it no longer had plans to do so after receiving more information on the matter at the end of the week.

“Considering that this batch is no longer on the market in any of the impacted countries and it has been consumed with no apparent reports of adverse effects, we believe that there is no immediate public health risk,” a spokesperson for the global health agency said via email.

However, the WHO has warned countries and companies to remain vigilant about the ongoing risk of contamination which is sometimes traced to the raw material used in the production of the medicine.