Twenty-five Indonesian families of some of the children killed by cough medicines contaminated with industrial chemicals are demanding compensation, as a court this month began hearing their class-action lawsuit against government agencies and pharmaceutical firms.
The World Health Organization has called for "immediate and concerted action" to protect children from contaminated medicines after about 300 deaths in Gambia, Uzbekistan, and Indonesia linked to cough syrups last year.
Indonesia's drugs regulator has said the spike in the cases occurred as several parties "exploited a gap in the safety guarantee system", and pharmaceutical companies did not sufficiently check the raw ingredients they used.
Indonesian police said a local trader, CV Samudera Chemical, sold industrial-grade chemicals as pharmaceutical grade, leading to their use in medicated syrups that authorities suspect may have caused deaths of more than 200 children across the country.
Authorities have said two ingredients, ethylene glycol and diethyelene glycol, found in some syrup-based paracetamol medications are linked to acute kidney injury, which many of the children suffered.
The two ingredients are used in antifreeze, brake fluids and other industrial applications, but also as a cheaper alternative in some pharmaceutical products to glycerine, which is a solvent or thickening agent in many cough syrups.
According to a senior police official, the Indonesian company passed-off the industrial-grade chemicals as pharmaceutical-grade variations manufactured by Dow Chemical Thailand.
Police have arrested and charged officials at Samudera and its distributor CV Anugrah Perdana Gemilang, and more suspects may be named as the investigation continues.
Families seeking restitution
Families of those affected have launched a class action lawsuit against seven pharmaceutical companies, Indonesia's health and finance ministries, and the country's drug regulator.
Safitri Puspa, whose 8-year-old son died after doctor prescribed him a cough syrup, told the ABC that she would continue to fight for "the rights of our children as Indonesian citizens who were violated".
"This is our second struggle as parents. Our first struggles was when our child was being treated at the hospital [and died]," she said.
The trial was slated to begin on January 17, however the presiding judge in the case decided to postpone the trial until February 7.
Following the delay, Ms Puspa said she had been disappointed many times.
Awan Puryadi, the plaintiff's attorney, said the families "have never heard any statement of negligence" from any parties.
He also they haven't received any compensation money, while many of the costs were not covered by the government.
The legal team told the ABC that they are also waiting for the results of an independent Ombudsman investigation into this case.
"This case could solved quickly if the minister of health and the head of BPOM (Indonesia's National Agency of Drug and Food Control) came to the court and apologised to the victims, instead of sending their representative.
"The plaintiffs filed a request for compensation from the defendants, amounting to 2.05 billion rupiah, or around $200,000, per person who died and 1.03 billion, or around $100,000 per person who was sick.
They also asked that pharmaceutical companies and distributors have their assets confiscated.
ABC/Wires
