Gaborone
The Botswana Medicines Regulatory Authority (BoMRA), in partnership with the World Health Organization(WHO), hosted a practical training on the determination of possible Ethylene Glycol (EG) and Diethylene Glycol (DEG) in oral liquid medicines.
The training conducted in hybrid mode was attended by five African nations (Botswana, Congo, Gambia, Namibia, and Sierra Leone). The participants were trained on how to detect harmful contaminants in medical products such as cough syrups, used by childrend and sdults alike.
The training focused on a specific laboratory technique called Thin-Layer Chromatography (TLC) and its advanced form, High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography (HPTLC). In simple terms, the testing technique allows laboratory analysts to detect and measure the presence of harmful substances in a medicine sample by observing how chemical compounds move and separate on a treated surface. It is internationally recognized, cost-effective, and crucially accessible to laboratories in countries at varying levels of resourcing.
Ethylene Glycol (EG) and diethylene glycol (DEG) are contaminants in pharmaceutical excipients like glycerin, sorbitol, and propylene glycol (PG). When they enter liquid medicines through contaminated ingredients or unscrupulous manufacturing, the consequences can be devastating. Most of these products are commonly used across the patient population, making quality assurance at the regulatory level even more critical.
Achievements
- All Trainees successfully implemented the High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) procedure within their respective settings, demonstrating tangible & measurable outcomes that reflect a high level of operational readiness.
BoMRA laboratory technicians are now fully equipped and competent to apply this methodology in routine medicines surveillance programmes, enabling the timely identification and prevention of contaminated medicines from reaching patients.
