Drug regulatory body seeks lists of cough syrup manufacturers from states, to launch joint audits

In the wake of deaths due to contaminated cough syrups, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has asked all state governments to submit a list of cough syrup manufacturers, following which the regulatory authority will conduct a joint audit of all the firms.

The government officials said that Tamil Nadu-based Sresan Pharmaceuticals, which manufactures Coldrif cough syrup that contained toxic components, was issued a manufacturing licence by the state government in 2011. The license was renewed in 2016. However, Central authorities were not in the loop.

“The firm was not in the Centre’s radar. It is a small firm. The state audit has itself made 364 critical observations in which 38 were critical. Now state governments’ have been asked to submit a list of cough syrup,” an