By: Natasha Archary
Deon Poovan, Senior Manager: Inspectorate and Regulatory Compliance at SAHPRA joined Gugulethu Mfuphi on Kaya Biz to share an update on the Benylin paediatric syrup recall.
On 13 April 2024, the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) initiated a precautionary recall of two batches of Benylin Paediatric Syrup (batch numbers 329303 and 329304), in response to reported high levels of diethylene glycol.
The Nigerian National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) notified the relevant party on 10 April that significant quantities of diethylene glycol had been found in a batch of the paediatric cough syrup.
Diethylene glycol can be lethal to humans if consumed, causing abdominal discomfort, vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty urinating, headaches, altered mental state, and severe renal injury which may be fatal.
Poovan gave listeners an update on the precautionary recall, which allowed SAHPRA to investigate and notes that no traces of the toxic substance was found.
“The test results came back from samples taken from the two batches which were recalled and there were no traces of diethylene glycol found.
What that means is that if the batches were kept at the required storage temperatures, there would be no traces of diethylene glycol in these recalled batches.
A public statement was shared to inform people who had consumed the above batches of Benylin paediatric syrup, notifying them that if they had stored the product at the required temperature you would be fine.”
Poovan shares that the above batches of Benylin paediatric syrup were expiring in April 2024, so the products would have already been consumed.
There was only 1 bottle which was returned and Poovan stressed that this did not effect the range of other Benylin paediatric syrups.
