Two cough syrups banned after Coldrif, found to contain deadly substances

Gandhinagar (The Uttam Hindu): The case of the tragic death of 20 children in Madhya Pradesh due to Coldrif cough syrup had not even cooled down, when now there is an uproar in Gujarat due to the detection of deadly chemicals in two other cough syrups. In the investigation, the same poisonous chemical, diethylene glycol (DEG), which was the cause of death of the children in Madhya Pradesh, was found in dangerous levels in the samples of these syrups. Considering the seriousness of the matter, the government has immediately banned the sale and use of specific batches of both the companies.

According to a notification issued by the Gujarat Food and Drug Control Department (FDCA) on October 7, samples of cough syrups called Respifresh TR and Relife failed the test. Respifresh TR is manufactured by Ahmedabad-based Rednex Pharmaceuticals, and Relief is manufactured by Shep Pharma of Sheikhpur. The Madhya Pradesh FDCA has also officially confirmed the presence of excessive levels of DEG in these syrups.

The banned batches include Respifresh TR, batch number R01GL2523, and Relief Cough Syrup, batch number LSL25160. Both have an expiry date of December 2026.

Diethylene glycol is a toxic industrial solvent that can cause kidney failure and death if ingested in even small amounts. Following the Madhya Pradesh incident, drug quality inspections have been intensified nationwide. The Gujarat government has issued instructions to all wholesalers, distributors, retailers, and hospitals to immediately halt and return stocks of these banned batches.