CHENNAI, India: Indian authorities are investigating whether lapses in the supply of pharmaceutical ingredients caused contamination in Coldrif cough syrup, which has killed at least 24 children in recent months. Officials in Tamil Nadu state said the solvent used to make the syrup may have been tainted with the toxic chemical diethylene glycol (DEG).
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The solvent, propylene glycol (PG), was supplied to Sresan Pharmaceutical Manufacturer by local distributors who repackaged it without sealed containers, potentially allowing contamination. Both distributors lacked the necessary licenses to handle pharmaceutical-grade chemicals, according to the investigation report obtained by Reuters. Sresan’s manufacturing license has since been revoked, and founder G. Ranganathan is in custody.
Inspections of Sresan’s factory revealed hundreds of critical violations, including unhygienic conditions and data falsification, though authorities have not directly linked these breaches to the deaths. The PG solvent was originally produced by South Korean company SK picglobal, which prohibits repackaging or redistribution of its chemicals.
This tragedy has renewed concerns over safety standards in India’s $50 billion pharmaceutical sector, following prior incidents where contaminated syrups caused over 140 deaths in Africa and Central Asia. Authorities are reviewing the production and distribution of pediatric cough syrups and have pledged to strengthen oversight and quality controls.
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The Tamil Nadu Drugs Control Department continues its investigation into how DEG may have entered the syrup and who is ultimately responsible for the contamination, while the federal health ministry is conducting inspections of other drug facilities nationwide.