India declares three cough syrups toxic after child deaths

Coldrif cough syrup has been banned and the owner of the company arrested

India has declared three cough syrups as toxic following the deaths of at least 17 children in the past month.

While all the deaths have been linked to Coldrif, regulators in the world's third-largest medicine-producing country have asked consumers to also avoid Respifresh TR and ReLife. None of the syrups have been exported.

However, the World Health Organization warned of potential risks through unregulated channels.

Here are details of the three tainted cough syrups:

COLDRIF

* Linked to all the deaths of the children who came from the central state of Madhya Pradesh. They died of kidney failure, mostly in a government hospital in another state.

* Made by Sresan Pharmaceutical Manufacturer, based in the southern state of Tamil Nadu.

* Contaminated with 48.6% of toxin diethylene glycol (DEG); the permissible limit by India and the WHO is 0.1%.

* Made in May 2025 and was set to expire in April 2027.

* The syrup has been banned and the owner of the company arrested. The owner and the company have not answered repeated calls from Reuters.

RESPIFRESH TR

* Not linked to any deaths.

* Made by Rednex Pharmaceuticals, based in the western state of Gujarat.

* Contaminated with 1.342% DEG.

* Made in January 2025 and was set to expire in December 2026.

* Syrup recalled and the company ordered to stop production of all medical products. Company officials did not respond to calls from Reuters.

RELIFE

* Not linked to any deaths.

* Made by Shape Pharma, based in Gujarat, in January 2025 and was set to expire in December 2026.

* Contaminated with 0.616% DEG.

* Syrup recalled and the company ordered to stop production of all medical products. Company officials did not respond to calls from Reuters.