The Tamil Nadu government has officially prohibited the sale of the cough syrup ‘Coldrif’ from October 1, following suspicions that the medicine could be linked to the deaths of 11 children across Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The order mandates its immediate removal from all markets in the state.
Authorities conducted inspections at the manufacturing facility of the pharmaceutical company in Sunguvarchathram, Kancheepuram district, collecting samples for laboratory analysis. The tests aim to detect the presence of Diethylene Glycol, a toxic chemical that has been associated with previous cough syrup-related deaths.
The company, which supplies medicines to Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Puducherry, has been ordered to halt production of the syrup until laboratory reports are received. The Food and Drug Administration has also been instructed to freeze existing stocks and prevent further sales.
At the central level, the Union Health Ministry has issued an advisory to all states and union territories, cautioning against prescribing cough and cold medications to children under the age of two, in response to these fatal incidents. The Directorate General of Health Services emphasized the heightened risk posed by such syrups to infants.
The controversy has drawn political attention, with senior Congress leader Kamal Nath attributing the deaths in Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, to alleged contamination, including the mixing of brake oil solvent in the syrups, which reportedly led to kidney ailments in affected children.
In Madhya Pradesh, nine children have died so far, while media reports indicate two infant deaths in Rajasthan. Authorities are awaiting laboratory reports to confirm the presence of harmful substances and to take further regulatory and legal action against the manufacturer.
