A pharmaceutical company in Tamil Nadu, India, has come under fire after its cough syrup was found to contain excessive levels of diethylene glycol (DEG), a toxic chemical linked to multiple child deaths. The product has now been banned nationwide after at least nine children reportedly died from kidney complications believed to be caused by the syrup.
According to The Economic Times, India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare confirmed that laboratory tests on Coldrif Cough Syrup showed DEG levels exceeding safety limits. The ministry issued the statement following an investigation into a string of child deaths in Chhindwara district, Madhya Pradesh, suspected to be linked to the medication.
In response, the Tamil Nadu government immediately banned the sale of Coldrif syrup across the state and ordered a full recall of all stocks. Meanwhile, health authorities have launched inspections across six states, targeting 19 pharmaceutical manufacturers. Officials in Madhya Pradesh reported that 594 bottles of the syrup had been distributed to three local dealers, with some still awaiting lab testing.
Families of the victims said their children initially showed mild cold, cough, and fever symptoms before developing severe kidney complications. While nine deaths have been confirmed in Madhya Pradesh, local media also reported two infant deaths in Rajasthan.
In light of the tragedy, the Union Health Ministry has issued an urgent nationwide advisory prohibiting the prescription or use of any cough or cold medicines for children under the age of two.
A multidisciplinary team comprising experts from the National Institute of Virology (NIV), ICMR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), and the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) is currently analyzing samples and other factors to determine the exact cause of the deaths in Chhindwara and surrounding areas.
