• Source:JND
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Cough Syrup Deaths: In a fresh development in the cough syrup child deaths case, the Supreme Court agreed to hear on Friday a PIL seeking inquiry and systemic reform in drug safety mechanisms. The top court accepted the request for an urgent hearing in the wake of the deaths of children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, allegedly due to the consumption of toxic cough syrups.

Lawyer Vishal Tiwari filed the plea, asserting the need for an urgent hearing. A bench comprising Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and K Vinod Chandran will take up the plea on October 10. The plea stated that separate state-level investigations have led to fragmented accountability, enabling repeated lapses that allow hazardous formulations to reach the market.

ALSO READ: Cough Syrup Row: CDSCO Orders Strict Crackdown On Medicine Testing After 20 Child Deaths In MP | Updates

What Are The Key Demands Of The Petitioner

- Tiwari seeks a court-monitored probe into the deaths.

- All pending FIRs and investigations concerning the deaths of children caused by toxic cough syrups across states be transferred to the CBI.

- The constitution of a National Judicial Commission or Expert Committee headed by a retired Supreme Court judge.

- Probe under the supervision of a retired Supreme Court judge to ensure fairness and uniformity.

- The plea seeks court's direction to the Central government to identify the regulatory failures that allowed substandard medicines to reach the market.

- The plea also urged the court to mandate toxicological testing of all suspect products through NABL-accredited laboratories before any further sale or export is permitted.

ALSO READ: Cough Syrup Row: Tamil Nadu Govt Issues Show-Cause Notice To Sresan Pharma After Serious Lapses Found In Production  

Pharma Company License To Be Permanently Cancelled: Tamil Nadu Govt

Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramaniam said, "The particular pharma company license will be permanently cancelled in a couple of days. It is now temporarily suspended.. After further investigation and inspection, the pharmaceutical company's license will be permanently cancelled."

Tamil Nadu-Based Cough Syrup Pharma Owner Arrested In Chennai

In another development, Tamil Nadu-based Sresan Pharma owner, G Ranganathan, was apprehended by the Madhya Pradesh police with the help of Chennai police in the wee hours of Thursday. The company has been the centre of the probe after its cough syrup - 'Coldrif' - was attributed to the deaths of children in multiple states.

A senior police official said he was detained following a midnight operation and taken to Sunguvarchatram police station for an inquiry. According to the police official, the police teams have been searching for Ranganathan since October 7 after the Madhya Pradesh police team arrived, and he was finally arrested at 1.30 am today.

Toll Rises To 22 After Two More Children Succumb 

The toll roseto 22 as two more children succumbed in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara. Two kids died to kidney infections caused by the consumption of a "contaminated" cough syrup, taking the death toll to 22.

(With agencies inputs)