India Bans Cough Syrup After Child Deaths Reported

At least three Indian states have banned a cough syrup after the deaths of several children were allegedly linked to its consumption, authorities said.

Since late August, at least nine children under the age of five in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have died after being prescribed the medicine.

India’s health ministry confirmed on Saturday that laboratory tests on the syrup revealed contamination with diethylene glycol (DEG), a toxic chemical used in industrial solvents that can be fatal even in small amounts.

“The samples were found to contain DEG beyond the permissible limit,” the ministry said in a statement.

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

Mohan Yadav, chief minister of Madhya Pradesh — where most deaths occurred — said, “The sale of this syrup has been banned throughout the state. Other products from the same manufacturer are also being prohibited.”

Authorities in Tamil Nadu and Kerala have also banned the product, local reports said.

Cough syrups produced in India have come under global scrutiny in recent years after several child deaths were reported internationally, including more than 70 children in The Gambia in 2022.

The bans aim to prevent further fatalities while investigations continue into the contaminated product and the manufacturer’s practices.