New Delhi: Punjab has joined the list and become the latest state to ban ‘Coldrif’ cough syrup. The state government on Tuesday banned the sale of Coldrif cough syrup with immediate effect after tests found the medicine “not of standard quality”. The decision follows similar actions by several other states where the syrup has been linked to the deaths of children.
Toxic batch triggers nationwide alert
Officials confirmed that the drug contained diethylene glycol (DEG), a toxic industrial solvent known to cause kidney failure. The Ministry of Health later issued an advisory urging “judicious prescribing and dispensing” of cough syrups for children, warning that most childhood coughs resolve without medication.
States that have banned Coldrif
Following quality test failures and reports of child deaths, these states have banned or suspended the sale of Coldrif cough syrup:
- Punjab – banned sale on Tuesday after quality failure report.
- Madhya Pradesh – where most deaths were reported, sale halted statewide.
- Kerala – suspended sales as a precautionary step.
- Karnataka – issued ban following test results confirming contamination.
- Uttarakhand – ordered market withdrawal of the product.
- Uttar Pradesh – directed drug inspectors to seize existing stock.
- Rajasthan – banned sale after suspected child deaths.
- Tamil Nadu – halted production and banned sale from October 1.
- Telangana – issued a public alert urging citizens to stop using the syrup.
- Puducherry – banned the purchase, distribution, and sale of a specific Coldrif batch; authorities have ordered its immediate withdrawal from circulation.
What led to the bans
The move comes after officials in Madhya Pradesh confirmed that at least 14 children had died since early September, allegedly after consuming Coldrif syrup manufactured by Sresan Pharmaceuticals of Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu.
Laboratory analysis revealed that samples contained 48.6 per cent diethylene glycol — far above permissible limits. The Tamil Nadu Drug Testing Laboratory declared the sample “Not of Standard Quality”.
Kerala’s Health Minister Veena George said her state opted for a complete suspension “as a matter of caution”, even though the contaminated batch was not distributed locally.
CDSCO steps in
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has launched inspections at pharmaceutical units in six states — Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra — where similar products were made.
The Union Health Ministry’s advisory reminded doctors that cough syrups should not be prescribed to children below two years and discouraged routine use for those under five. “Coughs in children often clear on their own,” the advisory noted, urging healthcare workers to avoid unnecessary medication and multiple drug combinations.