Chandigarh: 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 Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh. The state’s Food and Drugs Administration (Drugs Wing) declared the syrup “not of standard quality” following tests by the Madhya Pradesh Government Analyst.
The official order cited public safety concerns, prohibiting Coldrif in all government and private institutions across Punjab. Uttar Pradesh has also banned the syrup, with drug inspectors instructed to collect samples from hospitals and pharmacies. The import and export of Coldrif have also been halted in the state until further notice.
In Kerala, the health department constituted a committee to review pediatric cough syrups and issued directives to prevent the sale of such medicines to children without a doctor’s prescription. The Kerala Medical Services Corporation confirmed that Coldrif will not be supplied to government hospitals.
Several other states, including Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, and Telangana, have issued advisories and banned the syrup to ensure public safety.
Meanwhile, the Madhya Pradesh Food and Drug Administration found diethylene glycol (DEG) levels above permissible limits in two more cough syrups—ReLife (0.616%) and Respifresh TR (1.342%)—against the allowed 0.1%. Authorities have ordered immediate seizure and halt of sales of these medicines.
The bans and heightened scrutiny come amid growing concerns over pediatric drug safety, prompting states to take swift preventive measures to avoid further fatalities.
