U.S. FDA says it is working with global regulators to understand scope of cough syrup contamination

(Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Wednesday it is working with the World Health Organization and foreign regulatory authorities to support an investigation into contaminated cough syrups that have killed nearly 300 children in Africa and Asia.

In a statement, the FDA said it had no indication that contaminated syrups had entered the U.S. drug supply chain, and it recommended consumers only take medicines which were made to be sold in the United States, especially for children.

Earlier this week, the WHO said it had expanded an inquiry into contaminated cough syrups linked to deaths in Gambia, Indonesia and Uzbekistan to four additional countries, and called on governments more widely to ensure that medicines for sale are approved by competent authorities.

(Reporting by Patrick Wingrove; Editing by Michele Gershberg and Chris Reese)