The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a serious warning against three Indian-made cough syrups found to be contaminated and unsafe for human use. The three syrups identified are:
1. Coldrif – manufactured by Sresan Pharmaceuticals, Tamil Nadu
2. Respifresh TR – manufactured by Rednex Pharmaceuticals, Gujarat
3. ReLife – manufactured by Shape Pharma
According to WHO, all three syrups have been found to contain toxic levels of Diethylene Glycol (DEG) — a chemical that is used in industrial products like antifreeze and is extremely dangerous when consumed. Even a small amount of DEG can cause serious kidney and liver damage, vomiting, headaches, and in severe cases, death.
What Happened
The alert comes after a tragic incident in Madhya Pradesh, where at least 22 children died after consuming a batch of Coldrif cough syrup, which was commonly prescribed for cough and cold among children.
Health authorities collected samples of Coldrif and found that it contained 8.6% Diethylene Glycol (DEG) — nearly 500 times the permissible limit of 0.1%. The syrup was produced by Sresan Pharmaceuticals, a Tamil Nadu-based company.
Following this discovery, several state governments issued immediate stop-use orders and banned Coldrif syrup. Health advisories were also sent out, warning parents not to give the medicine to children below the age of two years.
The Tamil Nadu government later cancelled the company’s manufacturing license, and the firm’s owner, G. Ranganathan, was arrested for negligence and producing a toxic product.
Other Syrups Under WHO Watch
Along with Coldrif, WHO also flagged two more Indian cough syrups — Respifresh TR and ReLife — as “substandard”.
Respifresh TR, manufactured by Rednex Pharmaceuticals in Gujarat, was tested and found to contain 1.342% DEG, which is still much higher than the safe limit. However, this syrup has not been linked to any deaths so far.
ReLife, manufactured by Shape Pharma, has also been listed as contaminated, though specific DEG levels were not disclosed by WHO.
Government Action
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), India’s top drug regulatory body, has confirmed to WHO that it is investigating the matter. It also stated that none of the contaminated medicines were exported to other countries, meaning the affected products were sold only within India.
CDSCO has also ordered testing of cough syrups from all three manufacturers and asked state drug controllers to ensure that these products are removed from pharmacies immediately.
