Deadly Negligence: How 20 Children Died from Toxic Cough Syrup While Madhya Pradesh's Drug Testing System Failed

Oct 08, 2025 11:51 pm CST

In Madhya Pradesh, India, a catastrophic breakdown in the drug regulatory system resulted in 20 children's deaths from toxic cough syrup Coldrif. This tragedy exposes critical failures including drug samples sent by ordinary post, delayed testing, premature safety declarations, and an overwhelmed infrastructure with unused mobile testing units. While Tamil Nadu acted swiftly to ban the dangerous medication, Madhya Pradesh's bureaucratic delays allowed the toxic syrup to claim more lives, revealing systemic issues that remain unresolved even as seven children continue fighting for survival.