As part of the ongoing probe into suspected drug-related deaths in Madhya Pradesh, regulators on Saturday confirmed that fresh testing of Coldrif cough syrup has detected contamination.
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) earlier collected six samples, all of which tested negative for diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol (EG). Similarly, the Madhya Pradesh Food and Drug Administration (MPFDA) analysed three of 13 samples, also confirming them to be free of DEG/EG.
However, on the request of the MP government, the Tamil Nadu FDA drew additional samples from the manufacturing site of M/s Sresan Pharma, Kanchipuram. “The results of testing of these samples were shared with us late evening on september 3 2025. The samples are found to contain DEG beyond the permissible limit,” an official statement said.
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Also Read: NSQ Drugs Alert: 143 medicines fail quality test in July, 8 samples found fake
Risk-based inspections across six states
On the other hand, the Union government launched risk-based inspections on October 3 at facilities producing 19 drugs across six states. Officials said the exercise is aimed at identifying systemic gaps that may lead to quality failures and recommending improvements to prevent such incidents in the future.
Meanwhile, a multidisciplinary expert team comprising scientists from NIV, ICMR, NEERI, CDSCO and AIIMS Nagpur continues to analyse samples to establish the cause of recent deaths in and around Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh.
Also Read: NSQ Drugs Alert: CDSCO identifies 196 medicines that fail quality tests in April 2025
Madhya Pradesh bans ‘Coldrif’ cough syrup
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has announced a complete ban on the sale of ‘Coldrif’ cough syrup across the state following the deaths of children in Chhindwara allegedly linked to the medicine. The CM also stated that the sale of other products manufactured by the same company will be prohibited in the state.
“The deaths of children in Chhindwara due to ‘Coldrif syrup’ are extremely tragic. The sale of this syrup has been banned across Madhya Pradesh. The sale of other products manufactured by the same company is also being banned,” CM Yadav said in a post on X.
The Chief Minister added that the factory producing the syrup is located in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu. “After learning of the incident, the state government asked the Tamil Nadu government to conduct an inquiry. The investigation report was received this morning, and strict action has been taken based on its findings,” he said.
He further stated, “Following the deaths, action was underway at the local level. A team has also been constituted at the state level to investigate this matter further. Those found guilty will not be spared under any circumstances.”
