"These findings are currently being tested to search for ethylene glycol (EG) and diethylene glycol (DEG) content," BPOM head Penny K. Lukito informed in a press statement issued on Tuesday.
The PG drums have been confiscated by the agency from CV Budiarta, the supplier of the solvent mixture used in the Flurin DMP syrup produced by PT Yarindo Farmatama and Unibebi fever-cough syrup produced by PT Universal Pharmaceutical Industries.
The results of an examination of the production facilities showed that the pharmaceutical producers changed the medicinal raw material supplier and used raw materials that adhered to the requirement.
However, the EG contamination in the raw material exceeded the safe threshold of 0.1 percent.
The pharmaceutical producers also did not carry out syrup raw material assurance or conduct quality checks on the raw materials provided by the supplier, which are suspected to be related to acute kidney cases in Indonesia.
On a separate occasion, DOW Indonesia's president director, Riswan Sipayung, said that during a comprehensive internal investigation, the company did not find the names of companies mentioned by the BPOM in the list of its customers.
DOW has given all the data and information that it has to BPOM for further investigation, he informed.
"We have given the requested detailed analysis result and related documents to BPOM," he said.
He assured that the PG supplied by the company is sealed and does not contain EG and DEG.
DOW has also declared its readiness to carry out all the necessary tests on the products it produces, in accordance with the applicable regulations and laws in whichever country it is operating, including Indonesia.
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Translator: Andi Firdaus, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Suharto
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