India tells WHO no exports of toxic cough syrups as child death toll rises to 22

Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Oct 9: As the death toll from contaminated cough syrups climbs to 22 children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has informed the World Health Organisation (WHO) that the three syrups in question were not exported outside India. The products — Coldrif, Respifresh TR, and ReLife — have been linked to fatal cases of acute renal failure and encephalitis among children, prompting global concern.

In response to a WHO inquiry, the CDSCO confirmed that Diethylene Glycol (DEG), a toxic industrial solvent, was detected in these syrups during testing. Coldrif, manufactured by Sresan Pharma in Tamil Nadu, contained an alarmingly high 48.6 per cent of DEG. Respifresh TR from Gujarat-based Rednex Ph