Punjab government banned ‘poisonous’ cold syrup, order issued

The Punjab government has banned the sale, distribution and use of ‘cold’ phlegm syrup ‘in view of the death of 14 children due to alleged intake of adulterated drug in Madhya Pradesh. The order issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the Punjab Government on Monday (October 6) said that it has come to the notice of the office that the ‘Coldriff’ syrup has been declared as “not of standard quality” by the official analyst, drug testing laboratory and FDA, Madhya Pradesh.

The batch number of the drug is SR-13, which is built by Srison Pharmaceutical, Bangalore Highway, Sunguvarchatram (Mathura), Kanchipuram District, Tamil Nadu. The order stated, “Adulteration of the above drug has been found to be adulterated, as it has a Diethylene Glycol (46.28 percent W/V), which makes it harmful to health.”

Sales banned in Punjab with immediate effect in public interest

The order of the Punjab FDA states, “The said product has been found to be associated with the death of recently in Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh, so in view of the seriousness of the case, the above product is completely banned for sales, distribution and use in the state of Punjab with immediate effect in public interest.”

The order also states that all retailers, distributors, doctors registered in Punjab, hospital and healthcare institute etc. will not procure, sell or use the said product.

It has been said in the order that if any drug reserves are available in the state, then its information can be provided to the FDA (Drug Branch). There were reports of the death of children due to the stoppage of the kidneys in the last one month in Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh.

A highly poisonous substance called Diathylene Glycol (DEG) was found in the Kapha syrup manufactured in Tamil Nadu. National health alert was issued after the death of children and officials were suspended in Madhya Pradesh, arrests were made, drug reserves were confiscated across the country, as well as strict changes in drug guidelines in states like Kerala and Karnataka.