Kenya latest to recall J&J cough syrup over suspected toxicity

Nairobi — Kenya’s drug regulator said on Thursday it was recalling a batch of Johnson & Johnson (J&J) children’s cough syrup, a day after Nigeria recalled the same batch of medication under the Benylin Paediatric brand.

Nigeria’s health regulator said laboratory tests on the syrup showed a high level of diethylene glycol, which has been linked to the deaths of dozens of children in Gambia, Uzbekistan and Cameroon since 2022 in one of the world’s worst waves of poisoning from oral medication.

Kenya’s Pharmacy and Poisons Board said in a statement it had started investigations and advised that sales of certain batches of the product be halted and returned to suppliers.

Kenvue, which now owns the Benylin brand after a spin-off from J&J last year, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The batch being recalled was made by J&J in SA in May 2021, with an expiration date of April 2024, Kenya’s Pharmacy and Poisons Board said.

Reuters