New Delhi : The Indian government has launched a nationwide crackdown on pharmaceutical manufacturers after a deadly incident in Madhya Pradesh was traced to contaminated Coldrif cough syrup produced by Chennai-based Sresan Pharmaceuticals. The tragedy, which has claimed at least 17 to 21 lives mostly children has exposed alarming lapses in drug testing and manufacturing standards.
According to reports, laboratory analyses confirmed that Coldrif contained dangerously high levels of diethylene glycol (DEG), a toxic chemical used in industrial solvents.
Consumption of the syrup led to severe kidney failure and multiple fatalities in the Harda district of Madhya Pradesh, prompting immediate regulatory and legal action.
The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has identified testing failures across several pharmaceutical firms and issued directives to suspend production and distribution of Coldrif, along with two other brands Respifresh and RELIFE whose samples were also found to be unsafe. State authorities in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu have ordered the closure of affected plants and launched comprehensive inspections of drug manufacturing units.
Investigators revealed that Sresan Pharmaceuticals failed to test raw materials and finished products as required by national drug safety laws. During inspections, regulators found over 350 violations at the company’s facility, including unhygienic conditions, rusted machinery, and missing quality-control records. The plant has since been sealed, and its owner, G. Ranganathan, has been arrested.
Authorities in Gujarat have also detected serious deficiencies in two other firms Shape Pharma and Rednex Pharmaceuticals whose cough syrups failed quality checks. Health officials warn that the contamination could stem from the use of industrial-grade chemicals in place of pharmaceutical-grade ingredients.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has contacted Indian authorities seeking details on whether contaminated Coldrif syrups were exported abroad, as India continues to face international scrutiny following similar incidents in The Gambia and Uzbekistan.
The Union Health Ministry has ordered a nationwide audit of pharmaceutical factories and called for stricter enforcement of testing protocols. Experts say the tragedy exposes deeper flaws in India’s drug regulatory system, which has long struggled with inconsistent oversight and quality control in small and mid-sized manufacturing units.
As grieving families in Madhya Pradesh demand justice, regulators are racing to restore confidence in the country’s pharmaceutical industry one of the world’s largest suppliers of generic medicines. The investigation into Coldrif’s production and distribution network remains ongoing, with authorities vowing that those responsible will face the strictest penalties under Indian law.