Overview

• Since 2022, contaminated syrups laced with diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol have caused over 300 deaths, mostly among children in Africa and Asia.
• The report documents eight outbreaks since 2019 and 21 historical incidents dating back to 1937, attributing more than 1,300 deaths to industrial solvent adulteration of medicines.
• Investigators warn criminal networks have exploited regulatory vulnerabilities by falsifying supplier documents and using industrial-grade glycols as cheap substitutes for pharmaceutical excipients.
• The WHO-UNODC report calls for mandatory excipient testing, tighter oversight of export-only medicines and steep penalties for Good Manufacturing Practice violations and document fraud.
• India, The Gambia and Indonesia have introduced reforms including excipient testing mandates, nationwide recalls and enhanced quality-control measures to curb future poisonings.