Our products not behind Gambia deaths: Maiden Pharmaceuticals MD

Naresh Goyal, managing director of Maiden Pharmaceuticals - which is in the dock for allegedly causing deaths of 66 children in The Gambia - on Tuesday claimed his products had nothing to do with the deaths. Goyal said The Gambia government is carrying out quality control analysis of his products and it's premature to taint his company with accusations that children have died due to cough syrups manufactured by Maiden Pharmaceuticals.

"Medicines Control Agency (national medicines regulator of The Gambia) only recalled the products. They never said that they resulted in deaths," he said. "The deaths have been due to paracetamol syrup and not due to our cough syrups," he said. Goyal said his company follows the WHO -approved manufacturing practices and is certified by International Organisation for Standardisation. A person familiar with Maiden Pharma said, "The company fulfils all requirements to export products. All quantity and country specific permissions were received before the export to The Gambia started."