July 22, 2023

Gambia’s government is “far advanced” in exploring avenues for potential legal action against Atlantic Pharmaceuticals and Maiden Pharmaceuticals over toxic cough syrups that were imported from India, it said on Friday.

At least 70 children in Gambia, most under 5 years old, died from acute kidney injury last year. A government-backed investigation found that the deaths were “very likely” caused by contaminated medicines made in India.

The small West African country has hired a U.S. law firm to explore legal action, the justice minister previously told Reuters.

The Indian drugmaker Maiden Pharmaceuticals has denied wrongdoing, and the Indian government says that tests it conducted on the drugs showed they were not contaminated. Atlantic Pharmaceuticals, a local distributor of the drugs, could not be reached.

“The government is currently benefiting from legal advice from a top tier international law firm,” Gambia’s government said in a statement, adding it is also pursuing potential redress through engagement with the Government of India.

Families of 20 of the children have already sued the two companies as well as Gambian authorities.

REUTERS