New Delhi, October 04: According to a report released by the Union Health Ministry on Saturday, samples of Coldrif cough syrup taken from the manufacturing unit of Sreshan Pharma in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, were found to contain diethylene glycol (DEG) in quantities exceeding the prescribed limit. This investigation was conducted at the request of the Madhya Pradesh government.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has banned the production and sale of Coldrif cough syrup after harmful chemicals were found in cough medicine samples in Tamil Nadu.
This report has increased the ministry’s concern. Given the seriousness of the matter, the central government has expanded the scope of the investigation. Now, inspections have been initiated at 19 pharmaceutical manufacturing units in six states. The inspection team includes experts from ICMR, NIV, NEERI, CDSCO and AIIMS Nagpur. The team is examining various samples and the cause of the deaths to determine whether the children’s deaths were drug-related or due to other infections and environmental factors.
Amid concerns about the quality of cough syrup in Madhya Pradesh, the Ministry of Health stated on Friday that six samples collected by the CDSCO were tested, and all six were found to be free of harmful chemicals (diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol). It also stated that three of the 13 samples collected by the team were also analyzed.
It is noteworthy that 10 children have died in Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, after consuming cough syrup. The first suspected case was reported on August 24, and the first death occurred on September 7. Subsequently, six children died one by one due to kidney failure within 15 days.
Similarly, two children died in Rajasthan after consuming the alleged cough syrup. As a precaution, the Health Ministry issued an advisory on Friday advising against giving cough syrup to children under two years of age.