WHO Flags Three Indian Cough Syrups After Child Deaths in Madhya Pradesh; Coldrif Among Them
The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised concerns over three cough syrup brands in India after reports linked them to the deaths of several children in Madhya Pradesh. The agency has identified specific batches of Coldrif by Sresan Pharmaceuticals, Respifresh TR by Rednex Pharmaceuticals, and ReLife by Shape Pharma as potentially unsafe.
Sresan Pharmaceuticals, based in Tamil Nadu, recently had its manufacturing license permanently cancelled following public outrage over the Coldrif incident. Laboratory analysis reportedly detected diethylene glycol (DEG) — a toxic chemical known for causing mass poisoning in previous global cases — in the Coldrif samples. The contamination is believed to have led to the deaths of at least 22 children, most of them from Parasia village in Chhindwara district.
According to a report by Reuters, WHO stated that these syrups pose serious health hazards and could lead to severe or even fatal poisoning.
Indian Response to WHO’s Inquiry
After the deaths came to light, the WHO reached out to Indian authorities to determine whether the contaminated syrups had been exported to other countries. The agency noted that it would issue a Global Medical Products Alert depending on the details provided by India, according to a PTI report last week.
Further, Reuters reported that the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) informed the WHO that laboratory tests showed diethylene glycol levels nearly 500 times above the permitted limit. The syrups had been consumed by children under the age of five who died in Madhya Pradesh.