The chief executive and three other high-ranking officials of an Indonesian company have been sentenced to two years in prison and fined 1 billion Indonesian rupiah (approximately $63,056) each in connection with a case where their cough syrup was associated with the deaths of over 200 children.
The firm, Afi Farma, was alleged to have produced cough syrups containing excessive levels of toxic substances.
The company’s legal representative stated that they denied any wrongdoing and were contemplating an appeal.
The prosecutors had initially sought a prison term of up to nine years for the CEO of Afi Farma, Arief Prasetya Harahap, and seven years for each of the other defendants.
According to the Public Prosecutor, between October 2021 and February 2022, the company received two batches of propylene glycol, which is commonly used in the production of cough syrup.
However, these batches were found to contain 96% to 99% ethylene glycol, a toxic substance used in various non-medical applications like paint, pens, and brake fluid.
Propylene glycol is non-toxic and is widely used in medicines, cosmetics, and food.
One of the critical issues in the case was that the company did not conduct proper testing on the ingredients used in their cough syrup.
Instead, they relied on quality and safety certificates from their supplier. Afi Farma’s lawyer, Samsul Hidayat, informed the media that Indonesia’s drug regulatory requirements did not mandate rigorous ingredient testing for drug manufacturers.
The Kediri District Court in East Java found all four defendants guilty of intentionally manufacturing pharmaceutical products that did not meet safety standards.
This case underscores the growing global efforts to enhance the supervision of drug supply chains, especially in light of such tragic incidents.
Since 2022, over 200 Indonesian children, primarily under the age of five, have lost their lives due to acute kidney injury connected to contaminated cough syrup.
Similar incidents have been reported in The Gambia and Uzbekistan, with approximately 100 deaths.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has also issued warnings about six cough syrups produced in India and Indonesia.
Source-BBC
