Petition filed in SC to seek probe into deaths of children due to toxic cough syrup in MP, Rajasthan
PTC Web Desk: A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court demanding a judicial inquiry into the recent deaths of children allegedly caused by contaminated cough syrup in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The plea also urges the court to order nationwide testing of all cough syrups and implement urgent reforms in India’s drug regulation system.
The cough syrup in question, Coldrif, has been linked to the deaths of at least 16 children across Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district and parts of Rajasthan since August. Several other children under the age of 12 have also suffered serious health complications.
Manufactured by Sresan Pharmaceutical, a Tamil Nadu-based company, the syrup has now been banned in multiple states following reports of contamination. The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in the Supreme Court calls for a comprehensive investigation into the manufacturing, regulation, testing, and distribution of syrups found to contain toxic chemicals such as Diethylene Glycol (DEG) and Ethylene Glycol (EG) — substances known to cause kidney and liver failure.
The petitioner has also questioned why the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) and the Union government have not yet ordered an immediate nationwide recall of the contaminated product, despite laboratory reports confirming the presence of toxins.
- With inputs from agencies
