The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), has issued a public health alert regarding the recall of Benylin Paediatric Syrup (100mls), LOT No. 329304, from the Nigerian market due to contamination concerns.
The recall was initiated by the Nigeria National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration (NAFDAC), following the detection of diethylene glycol (DEG) at “unacceptable high levels” in the affected product.
“Benylin Paediatric Syrup is a cough mixture manufactured by Johnson & Johnson (Pty), South Africa. The recall was necessitated by the detection of an “unacceptable high level” of diethylene glycol (DEG) in the product.”
According to FDA, DEG is known to be toxic to humans and can cause severe health complications including abdominal pain, vomiting, convulsions, and acute kidney disease.
“DEG is a chemical substance poisonous to humans and consuming it could be injurious to health, causing headache, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, paralysis, convulsion, acute kidney disease and inability to pass urine among others, which may lead to death.”
The FDA assures the public that LOT No. 329304 is not available in Ghana, with rigorous surveillance efforts confirming its absence. Since 2022, all imported syrup formulations have undergone stringent testing for DEG upon entry into the country.
“The FDA has screened samples of other lots of Benylin Paediatric 100mls syrup available on the Ghanaian market for the presence of DEG and the results turned out to be negative.”
Attached is the full statement
ALERT ON CONTAMINATED BENYLIN PAEDIATRIC SYRUP-2
