The families of children who have died or become seriously ill after consuming contaminated cough syrup are struggling to cope with their loss and demanding accountability. At least nine children in Madhya Pradesh, India, have died since late August after consuming a locally made cough syrup, with reports indicating additional deaths in other states.
The cough syrup, branded as Coldrif and manufactured by Sresan Pharmaceuticals, has been found to contain the toxic chemical diethylene glycol (DEG). DEG is a toxic substance used in industrial solvents that can be fatal if ingested, even in small amounts. Symptoms of DEG poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, and kidney failure.
In response to the deaths, at least three Indian states have banned the cough syrup. The government of Madhya Pradesh has banned the sale of the syrup and other products from the manufacturer. Authorities in Tamil Nadu and Kerala have also banned the product. The Union Health Ministry held an emergency high-level meeting with health secretaries and drug control officials from all States and Union Territories.
The incident has sparked outrage and intensified scrutiny of medical practices in the region. Families are questioning why Madhya Pradesh officials have been slow to respond compared to Tamil Nadu, which acted quickly to test, confirm, and ban the tainted batch. Some officials initially denied any link between the deaths and the cough syrup, attributing them to other causes such as kidney infections from "dirty water or mosquitoes".
Adding to the distress, two more children in Betul district have allegedly died after consuming the same cough syrup. These deaths have further fueled the families' grief and anger, who feel they trusted the doctor but the medicine made their children's health worse.
The Madhya Pradesh government has announced ₹4 lakh ex-gratia for each bereaved family and is covering the full cost of treatment for surviving victims. A doctor who allegedly prescribed the syrup to most of the affected children has been arrested. An FIR has been registered under multiple sections of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has launched risk-based inspections at pharmaceutical units across six states, including Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra. The Union Health Ministry has also issued advisories to all states, urging caution in prescribing cough syrups to children under two years of age.
This is not the first time that cough syrups manufactured in India have been linked to deaths. In 2022, more than 70 children died in The Gambia after consuming cough syrups made in India. The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a medical product alert asking regulators to remove Maiden Pharmaceuticals' products from the market.
These incidents have raised serious concerns about the quality control and regulation of pharmaceutical manufacturing in India. The families of the victims are demanding accountability and are calling for stricter regulations to prevent future tragedies. They are left shell-shocked, grappling with the devastating consequences of what they believe to be a preventable disaster.
