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Madhya Pradesh government has banned cough syrup Coldrif following deaths of children in Chhindwara since September 7 , Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said on Saturday.
“The deaths of children in Chhindwara due to Coldrif syrup are extremely tragic. The sale of this syrup has been banned across Madhya Pradesh. A ban is also being imposed on other products of the company that manufactures the syrup,” Chief Minister Mohan Yadav stated on X.
After at least nine children reportedly died in Chhindwara, 13 medicines, including Coldrif, were sent for testing. Madhya Pradesh drug controller DK Maurya said results for antibiotic medicines came back clean on Friday, with no contamination detected in three of 13 samples sent for testing, including paracetamol.
Owing to the initial sample reports, officials had ruled out the link between the children’s deaths to cough syrup contamination. However, Coldrif was banned after reports received on Saturday indicated adulteration.
“We had sent 13 medicines, including two cough syrups, for testing after biopsy reports raised suspicion of kidney failure due to diethylene glycol. Multiple agencies are involved to ensure accuracy,” Maurya said.
According to officials, nine children have died due to suspected renal failure since September 7. Currently, 13 children, including eight from Chhindwara and Nagpur, are undergoing treatment.
Earlier, Tamil Nadu government also announced to ban the cough syrup brand after the samples were found to be contaminated with toxins, news agency PTI reported.
The officials of the Food Safety and Drug Administration department have sought an explanation from the Tamil Nadu-based company and has instructed it to halt production at its facility near here.
The development came after Tamil Nadu government banned the sales of cough syrup ‘Coldrif’ and ordered removal of stocks of the medicine from the market. The action has been taken in the wake of suspicion linking the death of 11 children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan with this syrup.
With effect from October 1, the sale of the cough syrup by the manufacturer has been prohibited across Tamil Nadu, the official said, adding that the samples have been found adulterated and an explanation has been sought from the manufacturers. “Until further orders, the production will be stopped at the facility,” the official added.
The syrup has been supplied to Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry by the company, he said.
Senior Congress leader Kamal Nath on Friday blamed the mixing of ‘brake oil solvent’ in cough syrups for the deaths of children with a suspected kidney ailment in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district since September 7.
The toll in the case reached 9 in Madhya Pradesh while media reports said that two infants died in Rajasthan.
(With PTI inputs)
