India’s CDSCO Recalls Three Cough Syrups, Halts Production Amid Children Deaths, Informs WHO

The central drug regulator the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has informed the World Health Organisation (WHO) about the halt in the production of Coldrif, Respifresh TR and ReLife, which it has deemed toxic. The CDSCO has also communicated to the the global health agency that none of the three syrups were exported from India. This came in response to the WHO seeking to know from Indian authorities whether the cough syrup linked to children deaths in the country, in parts of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, was exported to other countries or not.

India has declared the three cough syrups as toxic following the deaths of at least 20 children in the past month. While all the deaths have been linked to Coldrif, medical regulators in the world's third-largest medicine-producing country have asked consumers to also avoid Respifresh TR and ReLife. Following the ban, the three cough syrups have been recalled from the market and manufacturers have been ordered to stop their production with immediate effect.

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The WHO stated that it is closely monitoring recent media reports from India regarding pediatric illnesses and deaths in parts of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. These reports, which have emerged during September end, describe symptoms consistent with acute renal failure and acute encephalitis syndrome, with suspected links to the use of oral syrup medicines. The WHO has not received any official information as to the source of the DEG contamination or if contaminated pharmaceutical material has been identified.

WHO, on its part, has assured Indian authorities that it is “ready to support national authorities in investigating and responding to these tragic events".

The United Nations health agency noted that the CDSCO had identified the three contaminated products as Coldrif from Sresan Pharma (Tamil Nadu) showing 48.6 percent DEG; Respifresh TR from Rednex Pharmaceuticals (Gujarat) that showed 1.342% DEG and ReLife from Shape Pharma (Gujarat) showing 0.616%.