WHO On Coldrif Syrup: A Warning was issued regarding three cough syrups of India, among them Coldrif also became the alleged cause of death of children in MP.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a health advisory regarding three brands of poisonous cough syrups banned in several states in India. The organization urged officials to inform the agency if any of the three banned syrups are found. The WHO advisory also mentions the suspected Coldriff cough syrup, which reportedly killed children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

The health agency said the specific batches of the affected drugs, Coldrif, Respifresh TR, and Relife, are manufactured by Srisan Pharmaceuticals, Rednex Pharmaceuticals, and Shape Pharma, respectively. These toxic cough syrups can also cause potentially life-threatening illness.

India's health authority, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), told WHO that last week, 17 children under 5 years of age in India had died after drinking the syrup. CDSCO said none of these contaminated drugs were exported from India, and there was no evidence of illegal exports. According to news agency Reuters, these syrups are risky in India and can cause serious, life-threatening diseases.

Diethyleneglycol was found in the syrup.

It is noteworthy that laboratory tests of the contaminated medicine confirmed it to be adulterated with diethylene glycol, a toxic chemical linked to large-scale poisoning incidents. Madhya Pradesh's Drug Controller DK Maurya had said that the amount of diethylene glycol (DEG) in this syrup was found to be more than 48%, whereas the acceptable limit is only 0.1%. This quantity is extremely dangerous.

Coldrif syrup manufacturing company locked?

Many states banned Coldrif cough syrup. Now the government has not only completely canceled the manufacturing license of Srisan Pharmaceutical Company, which manufactures adulterated cough syrup Coldrif in Tamil Nadu, but has also ordered the closure of the company.

Earlier, the owner of the company, Mr. Ranganathan, was also arrested by a Special Investigation Team of Madhya Pradesh. An Enforcement Directorate team has also raided the premises of Srisan Pharmaceuticals and some of its officials in a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.