Head of Indonesia cough syrup firm jailed after child deaths

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02nd Nov, 2023. 03:34 pm
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Head of Indonesia cough syrup firm jailed after child deaths.
They denied any negligence and were considering the possibility of an appeal.
The company received two batches of propylene glycol.

The chief executive and three other officials of an Indonesian company, Afi Farma, whose cough syrup was associated with the deaths of more than 200 children, have received prison sentences.

Each of them was sentenced to two years in prison and fined 1 billion Indonesian rupiah ($63,056; £51,786). Afi Farma faced allegations of producing cough syrups that contained excessive levels of toxic substances.

The company’s lawyer stated that they denied any negligence and were considering the possibility of an appeal.

Prosecutors had initially sought a prison term of up to nine years for the company’s CEO, Arief Prasetya Harahap, and seven years for the other defendants.

According to the Public Prosecutor, between October 2021 and February 2022, the company received two batches of propylene glycol, which is a common ingredient in cough syrup production.

However, these batches were found to contain high levels of ethylene glycol, which is toxic and not suitable for use in medicines.

Afi Farma was criticized for not conducting adequate testing of the ingredients used in their cough syrup and instead relied on quality and safety certificates provided by their supplier.

The company’s lawyer, Samsul Hidayat, argued that Indonesia’s drug regulator did not mandate rigorous ingredient testing by drug manufacturers.

The Kediri District Court in East Java found the four defendants guilty of intentionally producing pharmaceutical products that did not meet safety standards.

This case has gained attention amid global efforts to enhance oversight of drug supply chains in response to incidents like these.

The poisonings linked to contaminated cough syrup have resulted in the deaths of more than 200 Indonesian children, particularly those under the age of five, since 2022.

Similar incidents have been reported in The Gambia and Uzbekistan, with around 100 deaths. The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued warnings concerning six cough syrups manufactured in India and Indonesia.

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Head of Indonesia cough syrup firm jailed after child deaths

Web Desk

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