19 Children Die After Consuming Contaminated Coldrif Cough Syrup; NCDC Investigates
Nineteen children in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra die after consuming Coldrif cough syrup contaminated with toxic diethylene glycol. NCDC and state authorities launch investigations and impose safety measures.
Nagpur, October 7, 2025 — In a tragic incident, nineteen children in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra have died after consuming Coldrif cough syrup, which was found to contain toxic diethylene glycol (DEG). The syrup, manufactured by Sresan Pharmaceuticals in Tamil Nadu, has caused multiple organ failure in the affected children, prompting urgent investigations by health authorities.
The fatalities include thirteen children from Chhindwara and Betul districts in Madhya Pradesh and six from Maharashtra. Hospitals in Nagpur admitted several children exhibiting symptoms of acute kidney failure and encephalitis, with medical teams working tirelessly to provide treatment. An 18-month-old girl from Chhindwara succumbed to the toxicity at Nagpur’s Government Medical College and Hospital despite initial signs of recovery.
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration confirmed that the syrup did not enter the state’s official supply chains. However, authorities cautioned the public about unregulated sources and urged anyone in possession of Coldrif syrup to report it immediately. In response, the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) dispatched a team to Nagpur to investigate the outbreak and assist in controlling further incidents. The Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) is coordinating with AIIMS Nagpur to assess cases and collect relevant samples for analysis.
Medical teams in Nagpur treated affected children with Fomepizole, a drug traditionally used to treat poisoning from illicit alcohol, which has shown effectiveness against diethylene glycol toxicity. This treatment has helped limit the severity of the poisoning in surviving children.
Authorities have imposed a ban on Coldrif syrup batch SR-13, and the Union Health Ministry conducted a high-level meeting with health secretaries and drug control officials from across the country to ensure immediate compliance with safety regulations. The incident underscores the urgent need for strict quality control and monitoring in pharmaceutical production and distribution.
The Coldrif tragedy has raised serious concerns about the safety of over-the-counter medicines and the importance of stringent testing before distribution. Investigations are ongoing to determine how the contaminated syrup reached affected regions and to prevent similar incidents in the future. Parents and caregivers are urged to be vigilant and avoid administering unverified medicines to children.
The Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh governments have pledged to provide all possible assistance to affected families while ensuring that regulatory measures are reinforced to prevent such incidents. Health authorities continue to monitor the situation closely and are taking all necessary steps to protect public health and safety.
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