NAKODAR
The Punjab government has banned the sale, distribution, and use of Coldrif cough syrup in the wake of 14children dying in Madhya Pradesh, reportedly due to the consumption of the contaminated medicine.
An order issued by the Joint Commissioner Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), Punjab government, on Monday said, “It has come to the notice of this office that Coldrif syrup has been declared as 'not of standard quality' by the government analyst, drugs testing laboratory, and FDA, Madhya Pradesh.”
The drug’s batch number is SR-13, manufactured by Sresan Pharmaceutical, located on BangaloreHighways, Sunguvarchatram (Mathura), Kancheepuram District, Tamil Nadu.
per cent w/v), which makes it injurious to health,” the order said.
“Considering the seriousness of the matter, as the said product has been observed to be linked to the recent deaths of children in the Chhindwara district, Madhya Pradesh, the above-mentioned product is hereby completely prohibited for sale, distribution, and utilisation in the state of Punjab with immediate effect in public interest,” the Punjab FDA order said.
It also stated that all retailers, distributors, registered medical practitioners, hospitals, and healthcare institutions in Punjab shall not purchase, sell, or use the said product.
If any stock of the drug is available in the state, the information may be provided to the FDA (drugs wing), the order said.
The deaths of children due to suspected renal failure were reported from Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh.
The cough syrup, manufactured in Tamil Nadu, was found to be dangerously adulterated with Diethylene Glycol (DEG), a highly poisonous substance.
The tragic deaths triggered a national health alert, leading to suspensions of officials in Madhya Pradesh,arrests, nationwide stock confiscations, and immediate, stringent changes to drug prescription guidelines in states like Kerala and Karnataka.