The Arunachal Pradesh government has banned the sale and use of Coldrif cough syrup, following the deaths of 14 children in Madhya Pradesh linked to its consumption.
The state’s drugs control department issued an advisory, prohibiting the sale, distribution, and stocking of Coldrif. The syrup, manufactured by Sresan Pharmaceutical, has been associated with child deaths in both Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
The union director general of health services has issued a general advisory, urging caution when administering the syrup to children.
The health department has instructed stockists and retailers not to purchase, sell, or stock the product. Those already in possession of the syrup must report it immediately to the local drugs control authority.
Physicians in both government and private hospitals have been advised to exercise vigilance when prescribing the syrup to children. The general public has also been urged to avoid consuming Coldrif cough syrup.
Indian-made cough syrups have been linked to a tragic total of over 160 child deaths across multiple countries, raising serious concerns about pharmaceutical safety and regulatory oversight.
In 2022, contaminated syrups produced by Maiden Pharmaceuticals led to the deaths of at least 70 children in Gambia due to toxic chemicals such as diethylene glycol. Similar incidents occurred in Uzbekistan in 2023, where 68 children died after consuming syrups manufactured by Marion Biotech. In Cameroon, at least six children lost their lives after ingesting products from Riemann Labs.
Most recently, in Madhya Pradesh, 20 children died after consuming Coldrif syrup, which was found to contain diethylene glycol at levels 500 times above the permissible limit.
These repeated tragedies point to a severe failure in quality control and regulatory enforcement within India’s pharmaceutical industry. There must be zero tolerance for lapses in safety. Robust monitoring, unannounced inspections, and strict enforcement of regulations are essential.
Manufacturers with even minor violations should have their licences revoked. The government must take decisive action. A comprehensive crackdown is urgently needed to prevent further loss of innocent lives.