Health Ministry Confirms No Toxins in Cough Syrup Linked to Children's Deaths, Issues New Safety Guidelines

New Delhi:

The Union Health Ministry has reported that cough syrup samples connected to children's deaths in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh did not contain toxic substances typically associated with kidney injuries.

Following reports of child fatalities in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara after consuming cough syrup, scientists from multiple national agencies including the National Centre for Disease Control, National Institute of Virology, and Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation visited the area to collect samples for testing.

Laboratory analyses revealed no presence of diethylene glycol or ethylene glycol in these samples. State officials conducted separate tests which confirmed the absence of these three harmful contaminants.

Despite these findings, the central government has issued an advisory restricting cough syrup use among children. The Director General of Health Services has specifically recommended against prescribing cough and cold medicines to children under two years of age and advised against their use for children under five.

The health advisory emphasized that most childhood coughs are self-resolving conditions that improve without medication. Hydration, rest, and supportive care should be prioritized as initial treatment approaches. Manufacturers have been instructed to follow 'good manufacturing practices,' avoid multiple drug combinations, and educate parents about safe medication usage.

Concerns initially arose after nine children died from kidney failure in Chhindwara within a 15-day period. Early investigations suggested the cough syrup contained diethylene glycol, a toxic substance, which was later confirmed through kidney biopsies showing its presence in the children's systems.

Most victims had been given Coldrif and Nextro-DS syrups, prompting Chhindwara's Collector Sheelendra Singh to immediately ban these products throughout the district and issue urgent advisories to healthcare providers, pharmacies, and parents.

The situation worsened with additional reports from Rajasthan linking three more children's deaths to cough syrups.

The Health Ministry clarified that the syrup does not contain propylene glycol, which can sometimes be contaminated with diethylene or ethylene glycol. The formulation was dextromethorphan-based, a type not recommended for pediatric use.

Samples from Rajasthan are currently undergoing testing, while the manufacturing company is under investigation. Rajasthan's government has ordered a comprehensive investigation of all products from Kayson Pharma, which supplies the generic syrup distributed without charge.

The controversy escalated dramatically in Rajasthan when a senior doctor publicly consumed the syrup to demonstrate its safety, only to collapse hours later and be found unconscious in his vehicle.

As a result, 22 batches of the cough syrup have now been banned from distribution.