Toxic substance found in cough syrup, drug unit shut

Coldrif syrup batch found to be adulterated with 48% diethylene glycol

- SINDUJA JANE @ Chennai

THE state drugs control department has shut down a drug manufacturing unit in Kancheepuram district after a particular batch of Coldrif cough syrup was found to be containing diethylene glycol, a poisonous substance which may render the medicine injurious to health.

Officials collected the samples and ran tests after receiving a communication from the Madhya Pradesh drugs control department, which flagged the death of six children over a period of one month following fever, cold, and severe kidney damage. The cough syrup is suspected to be the cause of deaths. The union health ministry is also investigating the deaths.