Kerala has suspended the sale and distribution of Coldrif cough syrup following reports from Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan linking the medicine to the deaths of at least 11 children. Health Minister Veena George announced the decision on Saturday, October 4, saying the move was taken as a precaution despite the specific flagged batch not being distributed in the state.
The suspension comes amid an ongoing investigation into alleged contamination in batch SR-13, manufactured by Sresan Pharma, a company based in Tamil Nadu’s Kanchipuram district. Preliminary tests in Madhya Pradesh reportedly confirmed the presence of diethylene glycol (DEG), a toxic chemical that can cause kidney failure, in samples of the syrup.
In Thiruvananthapuram, Veena said the state Drugs Control Department had ordered an immediate halt to sales and distribution. “The Drugs Controller has instructed inspectors to completely stop the distribution and sale of Coldrif syrup in Kerala,” she said. “Even though the contaminated batch was not sold in the state, we are acting out of abundant caution.”
All eight distributors supplying Coldrif in Kerala have been directed to suspend operations immediately, while pharmacies have been instructed to withdraw existing stocks. The department has also launched statewide inspections to ensure no shipments of the product have entered Kerala through private channels.
Officials have collected samples of Coldrif and other cough syrups for laboratory testing. The Health Minister confirmed that test results are awaited and further action will be taken once the analysis is complete.
The state government has also reiterated national guidelines issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), which prohibit prescribing cough syrups to children under two years of age. “Even if prescriptions are received, medical stores should not dispense such syrups for infants,” the Minister said.
Kerala’s move follows similar action in Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh, where the sale of Coldrif has already been halted after child deaths were linked to its use. In Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district alone, nine children have died since September 7, sparking widespread alarm.