A total of 168 syrup drugs do not contain Ethylene Glycol/Ethylene Glycol (ED/DEG) contamination, and they are safe to be distributed
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The National Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) announced additional 168 syrup drugs declared to be free of Propylene Glycol, Polyethylene Glycol, Sorbitol, and Glycerin/Glycerol that were linked to the acute kidney injury incident.

"A total of 168 syrup drugs do not contain Ethylene Glycol/Ethylene Glycol (ED/DEG) contamination, and they are safe to be distributed," Head of BPOM Penny K. Lukito noted at a press conference here, Thursday.

"These syrup drug products are safe to consume as long as you follow the instruction," she noted.

The list is the result of further investigation related to the findings of syrup drugs with EG/DG contamination that exceeds the safe threshold of 0.1 percent.

The BPOM is intensifying surveillance on distributed syrup drug products and additional raw materials.


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Verification of the drug raw material testing result is undertaken independently by the pharmaceutical industry, including for EG/DEG contamination, to ensure the safety and quality of the syrup drugs.

This verification is based on a set of criteria, including supplier qualification and raw material testing on every arrival and container. The testing method should also be ensured to adhere to the latest standard or pharmacopoeia.


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Moreover, the BPOM also released a list of 126 syrup drug solvent raw material declared to have met the requirement and are recommended to be distributed.

According to Lukito, this list came from 15 pharmaceutical companies that have met the requirement, and they are safe to use as long as the instruction is followed.

"Currently, the pharmaceutical industry's maturity level still has to be improved, primarily 24 percent of the total pharmaceutical companies that still have a minimum level of maturity," she remarked.

To this end, the agency will guide these pharmaceutical companies to be able to describe the maturity of the pharmaceutical industry more comprehensively.


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Translator: Andi Firdaus, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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