The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a critical alert concerning three cough syrup brands in India, Coldrif, Respifresh TR, and ReLife, after they were linked to the deaths of multiple children in Madhya Pradesh.
Preliminary laboratory tests revealed that these syrups contain diethylene glycol in concentrations nearly 500 times higher than permissible limits, posing severe health risks, including kidney failure and death.
India’s drug regulator, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization, confirmed that the toxic syrups were consumed by children under five and emphasized that none of the implicated batches were exported. In response, the manufacturer of Coldrif, Sresan Pharmaceuticals, had its license revoked and faces legal scrutiny. WHO has urged all nations to report the detection of these syrups and warned of the risk of illicit export through unregulated channels.
