(Indonesia)
The boss and three other officials of an Indonesian firm whose cough syrup was linked to the deaths of over 200 children have been sentenced to jail.
They were handed two-year prison sentences and fined 1 billion Indonesian rupiah ($63,056).
The firm, Afi Farma, was accused of producing cough syrups containing excess amounts of toxic substances.
The company’s lawyer said they denied negligence and the firm was considering whether to appeal.
Prosecutors had been seeking a prison sentence of up to nine years for Afi Farma’s chief executive, Arief Prasetya Harahap, and seven years each for the other defendants.
The Public Prosecutor said that between October 2021 and February 2022 the company received two batches of propylene glycol, which is used for making cough syrup.
These batches contained 96% to 99% ethylene glycol, the prosecutor said. Both substances can be used as additives to solvents. While propylene glycol is non-toxic and widely used in medicines, cosmetics, and food, ethylene glycol is toxic and used in paint, pens, and brake fluid.
The company did not test the ingredients used in the cough syrup and instead relied on quality and safety certificates from its supplier, prosecutors said.
Afi Farma’s lawyer, Samsul Hidayat, said that Indonesia’s drug regulator did not require drug makers to carry out rigorous testing of ingredients.
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