WHO issues alert against India-made contaminated cough syrup

NEW DELHI, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued an alert for a made-in-India cough syrup, highlighting it contains "unacceptable amounts of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol."

The alert issued by the global health body on Tuesday evening said a batch of contaminated India-made cough syrup had been found in the Marshall Islands and Micronesia.

Samples of the Guaifenesin Syrup TG Syrup from the Marshall Islands were found to contain unacceptable amounts of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol as contaminants, said the alert.

Guaifenesin is an expectorant used to relieve chest congestion and cough symptoms.

The global health body did not mention if anyone was taken ill following the consumption of Guaifenesin Syrup TG Syrup but warned that consumption of unacceptable amounts of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol can cause death.

The Indian government is yet to react to the latest WHO alert.

The latest alert comes months after the WHO linked other cough syrups manufactured in India to child deaths in Gambia and Uzbekistan.