'Don’t Prescribe Cough Syrups To Kids Below 2 Years': Centre Directs States Amid Kidney-Failure Deaths

Following the deaths of several children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, allegedly due to the consumption of cough syrups, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has issued an advisory on the rational use of cough syrups in the paediatric population.

In its advisory, the DGHS stated, "Cough and cold medications should not be prescribed or dispensed to children under 2 years. These are generally not recommended for ages below 5 years and above that, any use should follow careful clinical evaluation with close supervision and strict adherence to appropriate dosing, the shortest effective duration and avoiding multiple drugs combinations. Further, the public may also be sensitized regarding adherence to prescription by the Doctors."

The Centre's urgent advisory comes two days after Republic's investigation into the killer cough syrup case.  

Earlier in the day, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said, "In view of the recent reports suggesting that child deaths in Madhya Pradesh were linked to consumption of cough syrups, a joint team consisting of representatives from National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), National Institute of Virology (NIV), Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), etc visited the site."  

"Various samples were collected in coordination with the State Authorities including samples of various cough syrups. As per the test results, none of the samples contained Diethylene Glycol (DEG) or Ethylene Glycol (EG), contaminants that are known to cause serious kidney injury. The Madhya Pradesh State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) also tested three samples and confirmed absence of DEG/EG. Further blood/CSF samples have been tested by NIV Pune for common pathogens. One case has been found positive for Leptospirosis," it added.

Earlier, nine children were reported dead in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara district due to kidney-related complications between September 4 and October 3.

According to the families of the affected children, initially the children suffered from colds, coughs, and fevers. After that, their kidneys became affected, and their condition worsened.

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