The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning against three Indian-manufactured cough syrups following the recent deaths of several children in Madhya Pradesh.
Among them is the now-infamous Coldrif syrup, which reportedly caused the deaths of at least 22 children after they consumed the contaminated medicine. The global health body has asked countries to stay alert and report if these syrups are found in their regions.
According to reports, the WHO identified specific batches of 03 syrups—Coldrif from Sresan Pharmaceuticals (Tamil Nadu), Respifresh TR from Rednex Pharmaceuticals, and ReLife from Shape Pharma. These syrups have been found to contain dangerously high levels of diethylene glycol (DEG), a toxic chemical known to cause fatal poisoning when ingested.
Sresan Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of Coldrif, recently had its manufacturing license permanently revoked by Tamil Nadu authorities. The decision came after laboratory tests revealed the presence of DEG in concentrations as high as 48%, which is nearly 500 times above the permissible limit of 0.1%. DEG contamination has been linked to several mass poisoning incidents worldwide and can cause acute kidney failure and death, particularly in children.
The deaths, primarily among children under five from Parasia village in Chhindwara district, sparked national outrage and a wider investigation into the pharmaceutical supply chain. Following the uproar, the owner of Sresan Pharmaceuticals, G. Ranganathan, was arrested. Tamil Nadu health officials also launched an inspection drive across multiple drug manufacturing facilities in the state to identify potential violations.
Responding to WHO’s inquiries, India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) confirmed that the syrups were highly toxic due to excessive DEG content. However, the CDSCO also clarified that none of the contaminated cough syrups had been exported, ensuring that the issue was contained within India. The United States authorities have also confirmed that they did not receive any shipments of the affected medicines.
The WHO described these syrups as posing a serious and life-threatening health risk, urging countries to report their presence if detected. The global agency is expected to issue a Global Medical Products Alert once it receives complete data from Indian authorities.
In response to the tragedy, India’s Health Ministry has issued an advisory to all states and union territories, urging doctors to exercise extreme caution when prescribing cough syrups to children. The advisory clearly states that such medications should not be prescribed to children below two years and should generally be avoided for those under five.
The Coldrif incident has once again highlighted the urgent need for stringent quality control and regular testing in India’s pharmaceutical industry to prevent future tragedies involving contaminated medicines.
This unfortunate incident has put India in poor light and serves as a wake-up call for the Indian Medical Association and the Union Health Ministry to adopt more stringent measures in lab testing, issuing licences and allowing the sale of medicines for public consumption – especially for children.
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