Indian States Ban Cough Syrup Linked to Child Deaths

At least three Indian states have banned a cough syrup following the deaths of several children allegedly after consuming the product, according to local authorities and media reports.

Since late August, the deaths of at least nine children, all under the age of five, in the central Indian states of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have been linked to a prescribed cough medicine.

India’s Ministry of Health announced on Saturday that laboratory tests on samples of the syrup revealed contamination with diethylene glycol (DEG), a toxic chemical commonly used in industrial solvents that can be fatal even in small amounts.

“The samples are found to contain DEG beyond the permissible limit,” the ministry said in an official statement.

The product, sold under the brand name Coldrif Cough Syrup, was manufactured by Sresan Pharma at a facility in the southern state of Tamil Nadu.

State Responses

Mohan Yadav, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, where the majority of deaths occurred, stated: “The sale of this syrup has been banned throughout Madhya Pradesh. The sale of other products from the company that manufactures the syrup is also being banned.”

Authorities in Tamil Nadu and Kerala have also prohibited the sale of the product, according to media reports.

Cough syrups manufactured in India have come under international scrutiny in recent years, following incidents of child deaths linked to contaminated products.

• In The Gambia in 2022, more than 70 children died after consuming cough syrups manufactured in India.
• Such cases have raised concerns about regulatory oversight and product safety in the pharmaceutical industry.