Regulate cough syrups

The deaths of several children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, allegedly after consuming a contaminated cough syrup, have once again exposed the cracks in the country’s drug quality monitoring system. The latest culprit, Coldrif cough syrup manufactured by Sresan Pharma in Tamil Nadu, was found to contain diethylene glycol (DEG), a poisonous industrial solvent used in brake fluid and antifreeze.

Such tragedies have happened before. However, each time, investigations are ordered, licences are suspended, and officials promise reform. Yet, months later, another tragedy takes place.

For Jammu and Kashmir, this latest episode should serve as an alarm bell. The Union Territory cannot afford complacency. While the Union Health Ministry has begun a nationwide probe and banned Coldrif, the J&K Drug Control Department must act proactively, not reactively. To be fair, acting swiftly, the Jammu and Kashmir Drug & Food Control Organisation has already banned the sale and distribution of three cough syrup brands, including Coldrif Syrup, after they were declared “Not of Standard Quality” by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) due to the presence of toxic impurities.

It should now order a comprehensive audit of all cough syrups currently sold in pharmacies and hospitals across the region. The government should ensure testing of the samples from every major brand, especially those marketed for children, for toxic contaminants such as DEG and ethylene glycol.

However, the drug regulator must also scrutinize the supply chains of local distributors and wholesale dealers. They should ensure that the syrups are not sourced from manufacturers with a history of violations? These questions demand urgent answers.

Equally important is public awareness. In a place where people are used to buy over the counter drugs, parents should be advised to avoid cough syrups for children unless prescribed by a trusted doctor. It is only by taking these measures that J&K can avoid the tragedies that unfolded in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.