Doctor arrested over cough syrup deaths admits to getting 10 % commission, police informs court
PTC News Desk: A district court in Madhya Pradesh has rejected the bail plea of paediatrician Dr. Praveen Soni, who was arrested in connection with the Coldrif cough syrup deaths case. The decision came after police informed the court that Dr. Soni had admitted to receiving a 10% commission from the pharmaceutical company for prescribing the syrup.
Investigators stated that Dr. Soni and several other doctors continued to prescribe the medicine even after observing that children who consumed it were developing severe urine retention and kidney complications. Despite growing evidence of harmful side effects in young patients, the prescriptions allegedly continued. During questioning, police said, Dr. Soni confessed to taking a 10% share from the company for promoting the product.
The court was told that at least seven children have died after being given Coldrif, while six more are undergoing treatment for kidney failure at a hospital in Nagpur. The investigation also revealed that between August 24 and October 4, Dr. Soni prescribed the syrup to several children under five years old, despite knowing it was not approved for that age group.
Police records indicate that the first death occurred on August 29, when a four-year-old died after being given Coldrif for a cough. Another victim, a three-year-old girl, died on September 5 with similar symptoms — her urine output had stopped, and she suffered acute kidney failure.
In its October 8 order, the court cited the Union Health Ministry’s 2023 advisory, which clearly warns that Fixed Dose Combination (FDC) medicines such as Coldrif should not be prescribed to children below four years of age.
- PTC NEWS
