Delhi bans sale of Coldrif cough syrup after child deaths in MP

The Delhi drugs control department had earlier ordered all cough syrup manufacturers to suspend sales until their raw materials and finished products were tested for diethylene glycol.

By: Express News Service

Updated: October 11, 2025 01:08 PM IST

2 min read

At least 22 children died with kidney failure in Madhya Pradesh after consuming the contaminated syrup. (File Photo)

The Delhi government’s drug control department has directed pharmacy owners across the national capital to refrain from selling Coldrif cough syrup. The development comes days after at least more than 20 children from Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district died after consuming the syrup manufactured by Tamil Nadu-based Sresan Pharmaceuticals.

The order issued said that the drug Coldrif Syrup has been declared as ‘not of standard quality’ by the Government Analyst, Drugs Testing Laboratory, Food and Drugs Administration, Madhya Pradesh, and the formulation is allegedly adulterated as it contains diethylene glycol (46.28% w/v), which makes the drug formulation injurious to health.

“In view of this, as a precautionary measure, all the stakeholders are hereby directed to refrain from dealing in above cough syrup with immediate effect and not to indulge in purchase, sales and distribution of this cough syrup. The general public is also hereby sensitized to abstain from using this cough syrup. Assistance of all the stakeholders towards strict implementation and wide dissemination of this public notice is highly solicited,” said the order.

At least 22 children died with kidney failure in Madhya Pradesh after consuming the contaminated syrup. At least three cough syrups tested in the aftermath of the deaths were found to have higher than permissible limits of diethylene glycol (DEG)—a contaminant that is toxic for humans and can lead to acute kidney injury and failure.

DEG can lead to symptoms such as abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, inability to pass urine, headache and an altered mental state. More importantly, it can lead to acute kidney injury that may be fatal in children.

Earlier, the Delhi drugs control department had ordered all cough syrup manufacturers in the capital to suspend sales until their raw materials and finished products are tested for DEG. According to officials, the department is also collecting random samples from chemists and suppliers across Delhi to check for DEG contamination in existing batches.

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