Samples of Coldrif cough syrup found 'adulterated', TN Minister promises action after probe

Test samples of cough syrups collected from a city-based firm during an inspection conducted at its facility are found to be 'adulterated', an official of the Food Safety and Drug Administration department said on Saturday.

The officials have sought an explanation from the Tamil Nadu-based company and has instructed it to halt production at its facility near here, the official said.

The development came after Tamil Nadu government banned the sales of cough syrup 'Coldrif' and ordered removal of stocks of the medicine from the market. The action has been taken in the wake of suspicion linking the death of 11 children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan with this syrup.

With effect from October 1, the sale of the cough syrup by the manufacturer has been prohibited across Tamil Nadu, the official said.

A team from the Food Safety and Drug Administration department conducted inspection at the manufacturing facility of the pharmaceutical company in Sunguvarchathram in neighbouring Kancheepuram district last week and collected the samples, he said.

Asked about the results of the test samples collected from the manufacturing facility, the official on Saturday told PTI: ''Test samples have been found adulterated. We have sought an explanation from the manufacturer. Until further orders, the production will be stopped at the facility.'' ''Until the company gives us a satisfactory explanation, the production at the factory will be halted,'' he said.

The syrup has been supplied to Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry by the company, he said.

Senior Congress leader Kamal Nath on Friday blamed the mixing of 'brake oil solvent' in cough syrups for the deaths of children with a suspected kidney ailment in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara district since September 7.

The toll in the case reached 9 in Madhya Pradesh while media reports said that two infants died in Rajasthan. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ma Subramanian said orders have been issued for a detailed investigation by the Drug Controller department into the incident.

''They (Drug Controller department) will look into all angles, including whether expired medicines were supplied. Necessary action will be taken after completion of the investigation,'' he told reporters.

Elaborating, he said, ''The investigation would examine when the medicines were manufactured, how long they were sent to other States (Puducherry, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh)...'' ''Based on the investigation, action will be taken.'' Asked whether the government would advise people in Tamil Nadu not to consume the medicine, he replied, ''Yes.'' He added that no such incidents have been reported in Tamil Nadu and no other complaints from any other state (apart from Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan), as the medicines were sent from a centralised unit of the company across the country. However, the pharmaceutical company that manufactures the syrup has not issued any response so far.

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