After a warning from the World Health Organization on serious health repercussions, often leading to deaths, from Pakistan-made cough syrups, the Vietnam Pharmaceutical Administration has placed a ban on the import of two of these cough medicines.
Nguyen Viet Hung, deputy director of Vietnam Pharmaceutical Administration, under the Ministry of Health, said on February 19 that Tyno cough syrup made by Reko Pharmacal and Dextromethorphan cough syrup by Ethical Laboratories, both from Pakistan, have not been imported into the country.
Right after the administration received an official announcement from the World Health Organization that many people had suffered serious reactions after intake of the two syrups--the list of permissible medicines was reviewed and revised.
Tyno cough syrup is reportedly mixed with a hallucinogenic drug, and so far the death tally has risen to 18, with three more patients succumbing to infection from the cough medicine on Saturday.
The ‘killer drug’ had been identified as Dextromethorphan cough syrup, and in Punjab, 15 residents of Gujranwala have died after consuming the cough syrup laced with Dextromethorphan.
The administration has ordered all departments of health in provinces and cities to check pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors for Dextromethorphan, which is sometimes mixed with Levomethorphan, so as to protect consumers.
