Addiction and over-dose are the cause of deaths and not the cough syrup that is being blamed for the causalities. Therefore, the government should immediately stop harassment of the owners and the distributors. The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) President Farooq Iftikhar and Pharma industry leaders including Khawaja Shahzeb Akram and Amjad Ali Jawa stated this while addressing a press conference here on Wednesday. LCCI Senior Vice President Irfan Iqbal Sheikh and Vice President Mian Abuzar Shad also spoke on the occasion.
They said that 16,000 bottles of the same batch were supplied across the country while the incident took place in one locality only, which is known as a hub of drug addicts. The law-enforcement agencies were well aware of the presence of a large number of drug addicts in that area and they should have taken some action against them well ahead of this incident, they said.
Farooq Iftikhar also appealed to the Chief Minister Punjab to direct the concerned officers to stop the action against businessmen as it had caused much resentment amongst them. Their haphazard action had already sent the wrong signal to the pharma industry.
Khawaja Shahzeb Akram said that Reko Pharmacal had been manufacturing the said cough syrup since 1978 and not a single such complaint of this nature had come into the limelight previously as had happened in this case. The individuals who had consumed Tyno did so with the purpose of intoxication. The misuse of any drug can cause serious consequences, which a company cannot be held liable for, he said.
Elucidating on the ingredients of the said syrup, Khawaja Shahzeb Akram said that Dextromethorphan is a widely used active ingredient in cough syrups world-wide. It is a safe antitussive/ cough suppressant and its safe dosage is 5 ml (10 mg) every 5 to 6 hours, (the dose in Tyno- SF) and the maximum dosage should not exceed 20 ml in 24 hours as per instructions on the label. It is a safe and effective cough suppressant if used as prescribed. There are over ten formulation of this product in the US alone, with some containing 15mg per 5ml. There are at least 7 registered products containing dextromethorphan in Pakistan also.
"Unfortunately," he continued, "it was inadvertently used by these individuals in excess of the prescribed dose, without being fully aware of the disastrous consequences of it's over dosage. As soon as the Drug Testing Laboratory report arrives, it would be released to the media to reassure the nation that Tyno does not contain any harmful ingredients, and is as efficacious for its stated indications as it has always been. This does not warrant criminal charges, as no intention was made to murder any individual."