Other states ramp up action; MP officials suspended
Panaji : The Directorate of Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) on Monday issued a ‘stop use’ notice regarding Coldrif cough syrup, which has been found allegedly adulterated with a toxic substance.
The FDA said the Office of the Controller Food and Drugs Administration, Madhya Pradesh, in a letter on October 4 informed about the tragic deaths of children in that state, and that in this regard they had drawn samples of Coldrif syrup (Paracetamol, Phenylephrine Hydrochloride, Chlorpheniramine Maleate syrup), Batch No SR-13 with manufacturing date May-2025 and expiry date April-2027, manufactured by M/s Sresan Pharmaceutical, Manufacturer No 787, Bangalore highways, Sunguvarchathram (Mathura), Kancheepuram district, Tamil Nadu. The drug has been found allegedly adulterated with Diethylene Glycol (DEG) (46.28%w/v), a toxic substance.
“In view of this, all the chemists and druggists, pharmacies, distributors are hereby instructed to immediately stop sale or distribution of Coldrif syrup, Batch No SR-13; if available and report it to FDA without delay,” the FDA said, asking the people to immediately stop the use of Coldrif syrup.
If anybody is in possession of the drug, then it should be reported to the FDA through email.
“The public is urged to exercise caution to prevent any further risk to life,” FDA said.
PTI adds from Bhopal and Thiruvananthapuram: The Madhya Pradesh government on Monday transferred the state’s drug controller and suspended three officials amid the probe into the death of 14 children, linked to the consumption of the contaminated cough syrup.
Taking precautionary measures, some states ramped up actions to stop the consumption and supply of Coldrif cough syrup following reports of deaths linked to the syrup.
The Kerala Health Department ordered that no medicines should be given to children under 12 without a doctor’s prescription, the move coming after concerns over certain cough syrups.
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration appealed to the people to stop the sale or use of Coldrif syrup from the specific batch identified by the Tamil Nadu authorities as “injurious”.
The Telangana government directed all district medical and health officers to sensitise public on the ‘adulterated’ cough syrup.
The Karnataka government directed enforcement officers to maintain strict vigil over certain cough syrups.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav transferred the state’s Drug Controller Dinesh Maurya after chairing a high-level meeting, an official said.
The Yadav government also suspended two drug inspectors and a deputy FDA director amid the probe into the death of 14 children from Chhindwara.
Yadav visited Parasia to meet the kin of the deceased children. He said strict action will be taken against those responsible for the deaths.
The state police have formed a special investigation team to probe the deaths.
A doctor from Chhindwara has been arrested for alleged negligence, and a case registered against the Coldrif cough syrup manufacturing company, an official said.
The MP government has also banned the sale of Coldrif cough syrup, manufactured by Sresan Pharmaceutical, Kancheepuram (Tamil Nadu), with officials saying the drug samples have been found to contain a highly toxic substance.
