The Madhya Pradesh government has banned the sale and distribution of Coldrif cough syrup after laboratory tests confirmed the presence of a highly toxic chemical, Diethylene Glycol (DEG), in samples linked to the deaths of nine children in Chhindwara district.
According to a copy of the directive, the state’s drug controller said the syrup, manufactured by Sresan Pharmaceutical in Tamil Nadu’s Kanchipuram district, was found “non-standard and defective (NSQ)” following a test report from the Tamil Nadu Drug Control Directorate dated October 2.
The analysis revealed that the Coldrif sample contained 48.6% Diethylene Glycol, a chemical that can cause acute kidney and liver failure, rendering the medicine unsafe for human consumption.
The ban extends to all products manufactured by the same company. Officials have been instructed to collect additional samples of the syrup from across the state and send them for testing in government laboratories.
All existing stocks of the cough syrup have been directed to be sealed and not destroyed or sold until further notice. Any other batches found in the market are to be seized and frozen immediately.
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The Madhya Pradesh government acted after requesting the Tamil Nadu authorities to investigate Sresan Pharmaceutical following the deaths of children. The state received the investigation report on Friday morning, prompting immediate action.
The ban follows a similar move by the Tamil Nadu government, which prohibited the sale of Coldrif syrup from October 1 after suspicions arose linking it to the deaths of at least 14 children — nine in Madhya Pradesh, two in Maharashtra, and one in Rajasthan.
Preliminary inquiries suggested that the children fell ill after being administered Coldrif, prompting health authorities to send samples for laboratory testing.
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Chief Minister Mohan Yadav described the deaths as “extremely tragic,” adding that action had been taken against the company and its other products. He said the state had requested a probe from Tamil Nadu authorities and acted immediately upon receiving the lab report confirming contamination.
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