New Delhi: Weeks after reports of several children falling ill in Madhya Pradesh, allegedly due to an adulterated cough syrup, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has identified three contaminated syrups in India and urged global health authorities to report if they detect any of these products in their countries.
In response to the WHO alert and domestic findings, the Union Health Ministry issued an advisory to all states and union territories, urging caution in prescribing cough syrups to children. It is recommended that such medications not be prescribed or dispensed to those below two years of age and generally avoided for children under five.
Among the banned medications is the Coldrif syrup from Tamil Nadu-based Sresan Pharmaceuticals, which recently generated public concern after being linked to severe poisoning instances in youngsters. The WHO also named two more products, which are Rednex Pharmaceuticals’ Respifresh TR and Shape Pharma’s ReLife.
Coldrif included approximately 500 times the allowable amount of diethylene glycol (DEG), a hazardous substance previously linked to poisoning episodes, according to lab tests.
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) notified the WHO that the tainted syrups were taken by children under the age of five. However, Indian health officials stated that none of the faulty drugs were exported, which was later confirmed by US regulators.
Following the discovery, Tamil Nadu’s drug authority cancelled Sresan Pharmaceuticals’ manufacturing licence and detained the company’s owner, G. Ranganathan. The state government also conducted inspections at other medication production facilities to ensure compliance with safety standards.