Toxic cough medicine kills 13 in Lahore
On Saturday, several people fell ill and were shifted to a hospital after they consumed the same syrup in Lahore’s Shahdar Town. Five of them died en route to the hospital while seven more died on Sunday.
According to hospital staff, all of them were between 15 years and 30 years of age.
Following the incident, the police arrested the owner of the medical store from where the cough syrup was obtained and also took into possession a large store of the same medicine.
A murder case was also registered against the pharmaceutical company and pharmacy owners.
Cough syrup is often used for inebriation purposes and is sold as over-the-counter medicine at many pharmacies.
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No minister of health. Shahbaz sharif has kept the portfolio himself for last four or so years. This is third major incident relating to health ministry. Really scaring situation because if you survive a suicide attack you still have a grave chance of dying of toxic cough medicine, dengue or some medicine which are given to the patients in Punjab cardiology hospital. The province is not only overseen by Chief Minister (CM) Shahbaz Sharif, it is well known that the CM has kept charge of some 16 key ministries, including that of health, with himself. The fact that the CM may have spread himself too thin has been felt most in Punjab’s health department with these incidents of colossal negligence. Most people know that Mr Sharif is a hardnosed politician, one who believes in getting the job done even if he has to do it himself, but this surely is not the way to go about it.
In a tragedy that could have been completely avoided, 17 people have died after ingesting a toxic cough syrup called Tyno in the provincial capital, Lahore. The cough syrup was produced by Reko Pharmacal Lahore, and is now under intense scrutiny by the media and the public on how it could produce such a deadly medicine. A complete blanket ban has been imposed on the syrup with drug inspectors issuing orders to have the existing stock dropped immediately. Reports say that Tyno was used by many drug addicts to get high. Reports also claim that the syrup may have contained diazepam, which is a sedative and muscle relaxant — putting those who took it to sleep permanently. Why has this extreme negligence occurred, once again in Punjab? It may be recalled how 100 cardiac patients died in January this year when contaminated medicines were prescribed, not to mention in the same context the ephedrine fiasco. If these revelations were a shocker, so is this latest episode in which a seemingly innocuous cough syrup has ended the lives of so many people. Punjab is earning the unenviable reputation of the only province in which such alarming occurrences are becoming frequent.
The hard and fast facts of the above mentioned drugs must be noted at this point: 1. All reports from the Drug testing laboratory (Govt. of Punjab) have come out clear for Tyno cough syrup. It has been proved that there was absolutely NOTHING wrong with the drug, and the Govt has publically admitted that on National Television 2. All the deceased are CONFIRMED drug addicts who have been using this regularly for years for a cheap ‘high’. It has been clearly mentioned by the EDO Health that the cough syrup has been taken in sync with other drugs by these drug addicts. It has been taken in overdose in conjunction with other substances, which still needs to be confirmed via post mortem reports. 3. Most importantly, latest reports (released on 26th November 2012) has proven that an illegal factory is operational in Shahdara town which has been producing fake syrups and using company’s bottles.
@shakrullah: I know. My comment was a sarcasm.
Please let us know the name/brand of the cough syrup
Shahbaz should be ashamed of himselves,he is hopeless,why he does not resign ?
@shakrullah: be careful ...he might "suspend" you..............!!!!!!!!!
Can anybody or our media please tell me the name of cough syrup which caused this?
@stenson: I totally agree. Its just a few deaths and we shouldn't be concerned about it. I mean it wasn't Shahbaz sharif who prescribed that medicine. Just imagine, people getting killed by taking a cough syrup and people start blaming the CM who just happens to be a health minister as well? How naive of these idiots. Shahbaz Sharif must keep ministry of Health since he is such a superb manager. Good job Shahbaz Sharif!
Regret. It is high time for the establishment of a food and drug administration and the introduction of various reliable labeling systems.
Story of Pakistan, every day in every possible way new deaths due due to tragedy, accident, incompetence and so on.
There is really nothing left truly Muslim about it.
Cough medicine contains either codine or dextromorphan. Both in large quantity are respiratory depressant. Either something went wrong in formulation or people took more than they were suppose to take. Naloxone is the antidote for this situation and has 100% effectiveness. The response to nalaxone is instant.
@Tahir: Unlike other provinces in the country, there is some sense of accounatability in Punjab. Hence when bad medicines manufactured in Karachi were hurting people in Punjab's cardiac Wards, the provincial government stepped in and worked to ensure testing in the hospitals as part of the inquiry. Despite this tragedy, I am sure that the Punjab government will now look into the source and cause of the spurious cough syrop and take exemplary action to prevent this happening again. When all is said and done, the Punjab is the best managed and governed province in Pakistan largely due to the efforts of Shahbaz Sharif.