TN government cancels Sresan Pharma licence over toxic 'Coldrif' cough syrup
Firm was ordered to shut down after the state's Drug Control Department found 48.6 per cent toxic Diethylene Glycol in the syrup, deaths of children in Madhya Pradesh
The Tamil Nadu government on Monday (October 13) has announced that the manufacturing licence of Sresan Pharmaceuticals, the company manufacturing the adulterated cough syrup Coldrif, has been completely revoked, and the firm has been ordered to shut down.
During an inspection, the state’s Drug Control Department found that the syrup contained 48.6 per cent of Diethylene Glycol (DEG), a highly toxic chemical.
The medicine has been linked to the deaths of several children in Madhya Pradesh.
Also Read: Cough syrup deaths: ED raids 5 sites in Chennai, targets Sresan owner, officials
TN govt cancels Sresan Pharma’s licence
Officials also reported that the company failed to comply with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Good Laboratory Practices (GLP), recording over 300 major and critical violations.
The company’s owner, G Ranganathan, was recently arrested by a special investigation team from Madhya Pradesh.
Earlier, the Enforcement Directorate had raided the firm and some of its officials in connection with a Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case.
"The drug manufacturing license of Sresan Pharmaceuticals has been completely cancelled, and the company has been closed. Orders have been given to conduct a detailed inspection of other drug manufacturing companies located in Tamil Nadu," the government said in a statement.
Also Read: Cough syrup deaths: CAG report already flagged regulatory lapses in TN last year
Cough syrup row
Effective October 1, the sale of the syrup has been prohibited across the state, an official from the Food Safety and Drug Administration Department confirmed.
Tests conducted by the Drug Testing Laboratory in Chennai, under the Tamil Nadu Directorate of Drug Control, declared the syrup "Not of Standard Quality".
The Centre and state governments of Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh have started a crackdown on contaminated drugs, including cough syrups and antibiotics, following the deaths of children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan from suspected renal failure due to the consumption of contaminated cough syrup.
Many of the affected children had been given Coldrif, samples of which were found to contain 48.6 per cent diethylene glycol, a highly toxic chemical used in industrial processes, but deadly when ingested.
(With Agency inputs)