The Madhya Pradesh government on Saturday issued an immediate ban on the sale and distribution of Coldrif cough syrup, along with all medicines produced by Sresan Pharmaceuticals. The decision follows a scathing report from the Tamil Nadu Drugs Control Department, which detected 48.6% Diethylene Glycol (DEG) — a toxic industrial chemical known to cause acute kidney failure. The syrup has already been linked to the deaths of at least 14 children in Madhya Pradesh, with several more children still in critical condition.
According to a media report, initially, Madhya Pradesh authorities stated that no toxic elements had been detected and that they were awaiting laboratory test results. However, a confidential report obtained by a media outlet revealed that the Tamil Nadu Drugs Control Department had declared the batch of Coldrif cough syrup “not of standard quality” and “adulterated” with Diethylene Glycol (DEG), a chemical unfit for medicinal use.
In response, the Madhya Pradesh Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an urgent directive instructing all drug inspectors to immediately halt the sale and distribution of Coldrif cough syrup and freeze existing stocks. The order, signed by Controller Dinesh Kumar Maurya, also extended the ban to all products manufactured by Sresan Pharmaceuticals, based in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu.
The deaths of nine children in Chhindwara district following consumption of the contaminated syrup have caused widespread concern across the region. Fourteen children in the Parasia tehsil fell seriously ill after taking Coldrif, with nine succumbing to the contamination and four remaining on ventilators in critical condition.
As a precautionary measure, the Nagpur FDA collected samples of two other medicines from Sresan Pharmaceuticals—Ondansetron syrup and Anset tablets—for testing, while also inspecting local drug retailers. Officials confirmed that Coldrif was not available for sale in the Nagpur division, though other products from the same manufacturer continue to be sold. According to a senior FDA official, no complaints have been received regarding the other medicines whose samples were collected.
Kerala Suspends Sale of Coldrif Cough Syrup
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Health Minister Veena George announced on Saturday that the state’s Drugs Control Department has suspended the sale and distribution of Coldrif cough syrup. The decision comes after reports from other states flagged issues with one of the batches of the syrup. A preliminary inquiry by the department confirmed that the problematic batch had not been sold in Kerala, the minister clarified in a post on X.
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