Tamil Nadu bans Coldrif cough syrup from October 1 following reports of child deaths.
Samples collected from the manufacturer are being tested for toxic chemicals.
Union Health Ministry advises against prescribing cough medicine to children under two.
The Tamil Nadu government has banned the sale of the cough syrup ‘Coldrif’ and ordered its removal from the market following reports linking the medicine to the deaths of 11 children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
According to PTI, the Food Safety and Drug Administration Department (FDA) in Tamil Nadu announced that, with effect from October 1, the sale of the syrup manufactured by a city-based firm has been prohibited across the state.
Officials said inspections were conducted at the company’s manufacturing facility in Sunguvarchathram, Kancheepuram district, over the past two days, and samples of the syrup were collected for laboratory testing. The samples will be analysed for the presence of diethylene glycol, a chemical suspected to be linked to the deaths, PTI reported.
The company supplies the medicine to Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Puducherry, officials added. Production at the facility has been ordered to halt until laboratory reports are available.
PTI reported that the Union Health Ministry has also issued an advisory to all States and Union Territories, instructing that cough and cold medicines should not be prescribed to children under the age of two. This directive comes amid reports of infant deaths allegedly caused by contaminated cough syrups in Madhya Pradesh and similar incidents in Rajasthan.
A senior food safety official said, “The department has been asked to prevent the sale of the syrup and freeze the stocks from October 1.” The samples collected will also be tested by central government laboratories, PTI reported.
In Madhya Pradesh, nine children have died in Chhindwara district since September 7, reportedly due to kidney ailments linked to the syrup. Media reports indicate that two infants have died in Rajasthan under similar circumstances. Senior Congress leader Kamal Nath attributed the deaths to the mixing of ‘brake oil solvent’ in the medicines, PTI reported.
(With inputs from PTI)
