The lengthy trial surrounding a cough syrup linked to the tragic deaths of 68 children has concluded, bringing some measure of closure to the grieving families affected by the medication. In a bid to provide restitution, the heartbroken parents of the victims will receive a compensation totaling £63,000.
A total of 23 individuals involved in the devastating ordeal have been sentenced today, marking the end of a harrowing chapter for Uzbekistan. The scandal erupted over the distribution of the Doc-1 Max medicine produced by the Indian pharmaceutical company Marion Biotech. Initially reported to have claimed the lives of 65 children, the death toll was revised upwards by prosecutors at the Tashkent city court during the trial proceedings.
The defendants, which include one individual of Indian nationality, have been found guilty of a range of offenses including tax evasion, selling substandard or counterfeit drugs, abuse of office, negligence, forgery, and bribery. The most severe sentence, a 20-year prison term, was handed to Singh Raghvendra Pratar, an executive director of Quramax Medical, the company responsible for distributing the medicines produced by Marion Biotech.
Former senior officials tasked with overseeing the licensing of imported medicines also received lengthy prison terms for their roles in the tragic incident.
To provide some form of financial assistance to the affected families, the court has ruled that each family of the 68 deceased children will receive compensation totaling £63,000, equivalent to 1 billion Uzbek sums. Additionally, four other children who suffered disabilities as a result of consuming the syrup will also receive compensation. The funds, totaling £63,000, will be dispersed among the families. Furthermore, eight other families affected by the medicine will receive varying amounts of compensation ranging from £12,000 to £31,000. The compensation will be collected from seven of the convicted individuals, in accordance with the court’s decision as stated by the Supreme Court.
