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Kota post-cesarean deaths: Injection fails drug test, banned; may not have caused infection, say experts
Kota post-cesarean deaths: Injection fails drug test, banned; may not have caused infection, say experts
Kota, The Rajasthan drug control department on Monday banned sale and use of TOCIN , an oxytocin injection manufactured by Jackson Laboratories Pvt Ltd, after a sample of the drug failed quality tests, officials said.
TOCIN was among the 20 drugs which were sampled from the government-run New Medical College Hospital and JK Lone Hospital here following post-cesarean infections in at least nine women among whom four died and the death of a pregnant women earlier this month.
Authorities said the tests revealed 'zero content' of the injection, implying the active pharmaceutical ingredient was completely absent.
However, medical experts believe that absence of I in the drug is unlikely to cause serious side effects like kidney failure and death.
After the sample failed to clear the standard, the drug department on Monday seized around 3,500 vials of the drug from the Kota government hospital and other stockists linked to its supply chain.
Action has been initiated against the company and supplier under the Drugs Act.
Following the report, the drug control commissionerate issued a notice instructing hospitals, medical stores and distributors across the state to immediately halt sale and use of the batch in question.
However, the supply had already been put on hold. The remaining 19 drugs were found to be in compliance of the norms.
According to authorities,the contents of 1 ml of the drug were found to be completely void, however, the sample passed sterility and bacterial endotoxin tests .
Assistant Drug Controller, Kota, Devendra Garg told PTI that the oxytocin sample collected after deaths and infections in NMCH and JK Lone Hospital earlier this month failed the test. The drug was found to contain zero components, meaning it was devoid of medication .
However, this is not likely to cause post-cesarean infections and deaths in the two government hospitals in the city, he added.
Several women developed renal complications after undergoing cesarean delivery at NMCH and JK Lone Hospital earlier this month, reporting a dip in blood pressure and platelet count, and urinary blockage. Among them, four women died during treatment.
Additionally, a five-month pregnant women, who underwent a uterine surgery at the gynaecology ward of NMCH also developed a similar infection, and later died during treatment.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
