The Tamil Nadu government has banned the sale of cough syrup ColdRif and ordered it to be removed from the market following the suspicion linking it to the death of 11 children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. With effect from October 1, the sale of the cough syrup manufactured by the city-based firm has been prohibited across Tamil Nadu, an official from the Food Safety and Drug Administration Department said to PTI.
After the case of deaths came to light, inspections were carried out at the pharmaceutical company’s manufacturing facility in Sunguvarchathram in neighbouring Kancheepuram district during the last two days, and samples have also been collected.
Medicine Samples To Be Checked Thoroughly
The samples collected will be sent to the government-run laboratories to test for the presence of a chemical called Diethylene Glycol, as stated by PTI in a report.
Taking cognisance of the matter, the Union Ministry on Friday issued an advisory to all states and union territories, directing that cough and cold medications should not be prescribed to children under the age of 2.
The advisory by the Directorate General of Health Services comes amid reports of child deaths allegedly linked to contaminated cough syrups in Madhya Pradesh, and similar incidents have been reported from Rajasthan as well.
Senior Congress leader Kamal Nath blamed the mixing of ‘brake oil solvent’ in the cough syrup for the deaths of children with suspected kidney ailments in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district since September 7. As per reports, the toll has reached 9 in Madhya Pradesh, while media reports stated that two infants died in Rajasthan.
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