J&J Cough Syrup Recall Widens as Tanzania, Rwanda, Zimbabwe Take Action
Drug regulators in Tanzania, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe have joined Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa in recalling a batch of Johnson & Johnson children’s cough syrup as a precautionary measure. The recall comes after Nigeria’s health regulator reported high levels of toxicity in laboratory tests conducted on the syrup.
The batch of Benylin Paediatric syrup, produced by J&J in South Africa in May 2021, was found to contain high levels of diethylene glycol, a toxic substance that can cause acute kidney failure if consumed. Diethylene glycol has been linked to the deaths of children in several countries since 2022.
Tanzania’s Medicines and Medical Devices Authority initiated the recall on April 12 following reports of the Nigerian test results. Other countries, including Kenya, are awaiting the results of their own tests on the syrup.
While Rwanda’s Food and Drugs Authority stated that no adverse events had been reported, it issued the recall as a precautionary measure. Zimbabwe’s Medicines Control Agency expressed concerns about the syrup potentially entering the local market illegally and pledged to enhance inspections.
Kenvue, the current owner of the Benylin brand following a spin-off from J&J, stated that it was conducting its own assessment and collaborating with health authorities to determine the appropriate course of action.
(This story has been corrected to reflect that the Zimbabwean regulator did not have a record of the syrup being imported into the country, as opposed to having a record of it.)
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