Delhi bans sale, purchase and distribution of ‘killer’ cough syrup Coldrif — All we know

The Delhi government's Drugs Control Department has issued a public interest notice stating that it is banning the sale and consumption of Coldrif Syrup, due to adulteration that is injurious to health.

In a notice dated October 10, the Department said that it has noted that a government analysis earlier in the month, found that Coldrif Syrup has been declared “Not of Standard Quality”. It added that the drug has been reported to be adulterated as it contains Diethylene Glycol, which makes the formulation injurious to health.

“As a precautionary measure, all the stakeholders are directed to refrain from dealing in above cough syrup with immediate effect and not to indulge in purchase, sales and distribution of this cough syrup. General public is also hereby, sensitised to abstain from using this cough syrup,” it stated.

‘Killer’ cough syrup claims lives of 20 children

Delhi is not alone, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Punjab also banned the sale, distribution and use of Coldrif, following the death of 20 children in Madhya Pradesh due to alleged contamination of the medicine. Another four children are being treated, Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Rajendra Shukla.

Meanwhile, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has issued a directive to all States and Union Territories (UTs), calling for strict compliance with the Drugs Rules, 1945, for the testing of raw materials and finished pharmaceutical formulations, ANI reported.

In a letter dated October 7, DCGI's Dr Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi stressed the “critical importance of testing new materials, including the excipients, before their use in the manufacturing of pharmaceutical formulations.”

What did Delhi's Drugs Control Department say? Full text

“It has come to the notice of this office that the drug COLDRIF SYRUP has been declared as ‘Not of Standard Quality’ by the Government Analyst, Drugs Testing Laboratory, Food & Drugs Administration, Madhya Pradesh. The details of the drug are as follows:

Drug Name: COLDRIF SYRUP (PARACETAMOL, PHENYLEPHRINE HYDROCHLORIDE, CHLORPHENIRAMINE MALEATE SYRUP),

Batch Number: SR-13 Manufacturing

Date: May 2025, Expiry Date: APR/2027,

Manufacturer: Seesan Pharmaceutical, Manufacturer. No 787, Bangalore Highways, Sunguvachatram (Mathura), Kancheepuram Ditrict, 612106 of Tamil Nadu.

The aforementioned drug formulation is reported to be adulterated, as it contains Diethylene Glycol (42.28% w/v) which makes the drug formulation injurious to health.

In view of this, as a precautionary measure, all the stakeholders are hereby directed to refrain from dealing in above cough syrup with immediate effect and not to indulge in purchase, sales and distribution of this cough syrup. General public is also hereby, sensitised to abstain from using this cough syrup.

Assistance of all the stakeholders towards strict implementation and wide dissemination of this public notice in highly solicited. ISSUED IN PUBLIC INTEREST.”