Punjab Govt Bans Deadly Cough Syrup
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ October 7,2025
The Punjab Government has imposed an immediate ban on the sale, distribution, and use of Coldrif cough syrup after reports linked it to the deaths of 14 children in Madhya Pradesh.
Punjab’s Food and Drugs Administration (Drugs Wing) issued an official order, declaring the syrup “not of standard quality” based on tests conducted by the Drugs Testing Laboratory, Food & Drugs Administration, Madhya Pradesh.
The affected batch — SR-13, manufactured by Sresan Pharmaceutical, Bangalore Highways, Sunguvarchatram (Mathura), Kancheepuram district, Tamil Nadu — has been flagged for regulatory action.
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has also launched risk-based inspections of 19 medicines, including cough syrups and antibiotics, across six states. A multi-agency team comprising CDSCO, AIIMS-Nagpur, ICMR, and NEERI is analysing samples to determine the cause of deaths in and around Chhindwara.
Toxic Chemical, Criminal Cases & Wider Crackdown
According to the World Health Organization, Diethylene glycol — a toxic chemical often found in antifreeze, cosmetics, and lubricants — can cause vomiting, abdominal pain, acute kidney injury, and may even be fatal.
While Haryana has stepped up vigil, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand have also banned the sale and use of Coldrif.
