Drug firm ITH Pharma charged over baby hospital deaths

London Metropolitan Police have charged pharmaceutical company ITH Pharma with a series of offences, following an investigation into a number of deaths and illnesses at hospitals across the UK.

Seven babies have fallen victim and the police have charged ITH with seven counts of supplying a medicinal product which was not of the nature or quality specified in the prescription.

ITH Pharma released a statement which read: “As founders of ITH we have every sympathy for all the families affected, regardless of the cause. However, we are disappointed by the decision to charge the company and will vigorously defend this case.”

The North London-based firm was also accused of failing to take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure that patients were not infected by contaminants.

The police investigation has been going for over four years, following incidents at hospitals across central England and London.

Inquiry results revealed that an outbreak of a bacterial infection affected babies receiving Total Parental Nutrition through an intravenous feed. The investigation established that one of the three deaths could be liked to TPN.

The court case is set to start in Westminster in December.