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Nigeria’s drug regulator has taken swift action, recalling a batch of Johnson & Johnson children’s cough syrup due to concerning findings. Tests revealed an alarming presence of Diethylene glycol, a potentially fatal substance, at levels deemed unacceptable.
The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (Nafdac) disclosed that Diethylene glycol, known to cause acute oral toxicity in lab animals, poses severe risks to human health. Consumption can lead to a range of toxic effects, including abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, and even acute kidney injury, which could prove fatal.
Tragically, this substance has been implicated in the recent deaths of numerous children in Cameroon and The Gambia. Laboratory analyses of the recalled Benylin Paediatric syrup further confirmed its potential harm, prompting the urgent recall.
Johnson & Johnson and Kenvue, the latter now owning the Benylin brand independently, have yet to respond to Nafdac’s alarming revelation. The syrup, produced in South Africa in May 2021 with an expiry date of April 2024, was marketed for relieving cough, congestion, and other symptoms in children aged two to 12 years.
This development underscores the critical importance of stringent regulatory oversight and consumer vigilance in safeguarding public health, particularly when it concerns vulnerable populations like children.
