MP bans Coldrif syrup after 9 children die of kidney failure from toxic batch

Probes by MP & Tamil Nadu find kidney failure cases tied to contaminated cough syrup; factory in Tamil Nadu under scrutiny
MP bans Coldrif syrup after 9 children die of kidney failure from toxic batch
MP bans Coldrif syrup after 9 children die of kidney failure from toxic batchPic: ANI
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The Madhya Pradesh government on Saturday, October 4, banned Coldrif, a cough syrup allegedly given to 80 per cent of children under the age of five in Chhindwara district who died of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) since September 4, The New Indian Express reported.

“Deaths of children in Chhindwara due to Coldrif cough syrup is extremely tragic. The sale of this syrup has been banned across Madhya Pradesh. A ban is also being imposed on selling other products from the company that manufactures the concerned syrup,” MP Chief Minister, Dr Mohan Yadav, posted on social media platform X on Saturday.

Yadav noted that the syrup factory is located in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu. Following the incident in Chhindwara, the state government requested that the Tamil Nadu government investigate the matter.

"The investigation report was received this morning. Strict action has been taken based on the report. Following the tragic deaths of the children, action was underway at the local level. A team has also been formed at the state level to investigate this matter. The guilty will not be spared at any cost,” Yadav said.

On October 1, the Tamil Nadu Drugs Control Department received information from the MP Drugs Control Authority requesting an investigation into the matter, and a team began the probe the same day.

Several non-compliances with Revised Schedule M (Good Manufacturing Practices) and Schedule L1 (Good Laboratory Practices) of the Drugs Rules, 1945, were discovered during the in-depth inspection at the Kanchipuram manufacturing facility.

It was further discovered that the batch in question was made with non-pharmacopoeial grade Propylene Glycol as an excipient, which could have been contaminated with Diethylene Glycol (DEG) and Ethylene Glycol — both recognised as nephrotoxic and potentially fatal chemicals.

Coldrif Syrup (Batch No. SR-13) stocks were pulled for urgent analysis, while the remaining quantity kept for sale at the premises was immediately frozen to prevent further distribution.

Samples were forwarded to the Government Drugs Testing Laboratory in Chennai for urgent analysis in accordance with the label claim, as well as for identifying and quantifying diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol. Even over the holidays, the laboratory conducted rapid testing in the public interest.

Following the inquiry, a statewide alert was issued in Tamil Nadu to restrict the sale and distribution of the alleged drug. Email communications were also sent to Odisha and the Union Territory of Puducherry based on the interstate distribution information provided by the manufacturer.

At least three to four more seriously ill children — who were reportedly given a combination of medications including Coldrif — are currently undergoing treatment in hospitals in Nagpur (Maharashtra) with dialysis and ventilator support, according to officials in Chhindwara.

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