Cough syrup tragedy: Health secy likely to hold meet on drug quality today

The Union Health Secretary, Punya Salila Srivastava, will hold a video conference with Principal Secretaries and Health Secretaries of all States and Union Territories on Sunday at 4 PM.

According to the sources, the conference aims to discuss the rational use of cough syrups and ensure the quality of drugs following multiple child deaths linked to Coldrif cough syrup.

Several children have died after consuming Coldrif cough syrup in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra, prompting other states like Kerala and Telangana to issue public alerts banning the syrup.

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) is set to take strict action against Sresan Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of Coldrif cough syrup, after several children died from consuming the syrup.

 

The CDSCO will write to the Tamil Nadu Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take stringent measures against the company.

"CDSCO to write to Tamil Nadu-FDA to take strictest action against 'Coldrif' Syrup Manufacturer Sresan Pharmaceuticals," said the official sources.

Another company supplying cough syrups in Madhya Pradesh, Nextro DS, whose sample results are still pending.

"The Nextro DS syrups sample results are still pending, a total of 19 samples were collected that include samples of syrup, antibiotics, antipyretics and ondansetron, consumed by the Children who fell ill in the Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh," said official sources.

"The cough syrup 'Coldrif' tested to have beyond permissible limits of DEG/EG by Tamil Nadu-FDA was also sampled for analysis by Madhya Pradesh, Drug Regulatory Authority, whose final results are still awaited," official sources said further.

The Madhya Pradesh government has imposed an immediate ban on the sale of Coldrif and Nextro DS syrups along with along with the ban on the sale of other products manufactured by the same company. The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Mohan Yadav, announced the ban on X.

The Union Health Ministry has advised that cough and cold medications should not be prescribed or dispensed to children below two years of age. The Ministry has written a letter to the Director of Health Services of all states and Union Territories in this regard.

The drug authorities will take further action against Nextro DS syrups after the findings.