Manipur bans two cough syrup brands containing 'highly toxic' chemical

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The Manipur government on Friday banned two brands of cough syrup found to contain a "highly toxic chemical".

The Drugs Control Department has prohibited the sale and consumption of these two products in Manipur and directed all retailers, distributors, and pharmacies to immediately withdraw the affected batches from shelves and report compliance.

A statement by the Drugs Control Administration under the Directorate of Health Services issued a "public alert warning consumers, retailers, and healthcare providers against the purchase and use of two cough syrup brands found to be adulterated with a highly toxic chemical, diethylene glycol." It said reports from the Madhya Pradesh Government Drug Testing Laboratory confirmed that the syrups "Relife" and "Resipfresh TR", both manufactured in Gujarat, were contaminated with diethylene glycol, a toxic industrial solvent known to cause acute poisoning, kidney failure and even death.

Surveillance has been intensified across medical shops and hospitals in the state to prevent further distribution of the two cough syrups.

Healthcare providers have been advised to stay alert for symptoms of diethylene glycol poisoning in patients who may have consumed the syrups, the statement said.