- By Shibra Arshad
- Fri, 10 Oct 2025 09:03 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Cough Syrup Row: India’s drug regulatory body declared that three cough syrups were recalled from the market, and production was stopped. These cough syrups are Coldrif, Respifresh TR, and ReLife. The drug regulatory body, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), clarified to the World Health Organisation (WHO) that none of these medicines were supplied outside India, as WHO continuously monitors the situation.
The CDSCO provided this information to WHO on Wednesday. The WHO had sought to know from Indian authorities whether the cough syrup linked to children's deaths in the country was exported to other countries, they said.
The WHO stated that it is closely monitoring recent media reports from India regarding clusters of pediatric illnesses and deaths in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
The reports of death, which emerged during the week of September 29, describe symptoms consistent with acute renal failure and acute encephalitis syndrome. It was suspected that these symptoms were linked to cough syrup consumption.
The global agency has urged the Indian administration to trace and remove contaminated products from the market, as it expressed concern over the developments.
WHO also expressed concern over the export of such products to other countries, particularly via unregulated channels.
The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has taken a significant step to address concerns over cough syrup quality by issuing an advisory to state and Union Territory regulators.
As of October 7, the DCGI has directed regulators to enhance quality checks on cough syrup manufacturing, following inspections that revealed lapses in testing raw materials and ingredients.
CDSCO Rolls Out Nationwide Audit
On the other hand, CDSCO has begun a nationwide audit of cough syrup manufacturers. All the UTs, States have reportedly been asked for the list of cough syrup manufacturers with plans of inspection over the next month.
The development has come following the reports of children's deaths allegedly caused by the consumption of cough syrups in Madhya Pradesh, Chhindwara, and Rajasthan. Several states, including Tamil Nadu and Bengal, have imposed a ban on Coldrif cough syrup along with regulatory guidelines.
Don’t Prescribe Cough Syrup To Children: Karnataka
The Karnataka Health Department on Monday issued an advisory to healthcare institutions in the state not to prescribe or dispense cough and cold syrups to children below the age of two.