WHO says wider alert on contaminated J&J cough syrup ‘likely’
The World Health Organization is likely to issue a wider warning about contaminated Johnson and Johnson-made children’s cough syrup found in Nigeria last week. Nigeria’s regulator recalled a batch of Benylin syrup due to high levels of diethylene glycol. The contaminant has been linked to the deaths of more than 300 children in other countries since 2022, though not linked to the new recalls. Five other African countries have also pulled the product from shelves. The WHO is collaborating with the manufacturer and regulatory authority in South Africa to investigate the source of the contamination.