Indian authorities are investigating whether a contaminated cough syrup caused the deaths of nine children in the states of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan since late August. All the victims were under five years old.
The federal Ministry of Health and Family Welfare ordered an investigation after tests found that a batch of Coldrif cough syrup, made by Sresan Pharma in Tamil Nadu, contained toxic levels of diethylene glycol (DEG), a chemical used in industrial solvents and lethal even in small doses.
“The samples are found to contain DEG beyond the permissible limit,” the ministry said in a statement.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said the sale of the syrup, along with other products from the manufacturer, has been banned across the state. Tamil Nadu and Kerala authorities have also banned the product after Tamil Nadu’s drug regulator confirmed contamination at the company’s Kanchipuram facility.
However, the Madhya Pradesh Food and Drug Administration said three of 13 tested samples were free of contamination, according to the ministry.
Officials have launched inspections of 19 drug manufacturers in six states to assess quality control and prevent future incidents. Sresan Pharma has not commented.
Indian-made cough syrups have been linked to several fatal poisoning cases abroad, including the deaths of more than 70 children in The Gambia in 2022, prompting tighter scrutiny of India’s pharmaceutical exports.
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