The recent Coldrif cough syrup tragedy has shaken India’s pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors, with multiple states issuing urgent bans and advisories after a disturbing spate of child deaths.
What is the Coldrif syrup case?
Coldrif syrup, manufactured by Sresan Pharmaceuticals in Tamil Nadu, was routinely prescribed for children suffering from coughs and colds in several states. The controversy erupted after at least 14 children died in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district and two more in Rajasthan after consuming the syrup between late August and the first week of October 2025.
Most victims were under the age of five and developed acute kidney failure.
Investigations conducted by the Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration and local authorities in Madhya Pradesh found exceptionally high levels of diethylene glycol (DEG), a highly toxic, industrial solvent, in samples of Coldrif syrup.
Lab results indicated 48.6% DEG content, far above permissible and safe limits. DEG is notorious for causing renal failure and neurological symptoms, and has been linked to past pharmaceutical tragedies in India and abroad.
Developments in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan
Madhya Pradesh was ground zero in this crisis, with at least 14 deaths in Chhindwara district and additional cases in Betul linked to the syrup. The affected children initially showed symptoms of cold and fever before rapidly deteriorating with kidney-related complications.
Doctors and families reported that the children were prescribed Coldrif syrup by local clinics. Following these fatalities, the MP government banned the sale, distribution, and stock of Coldrif and other products by the manufacturer pending a thorough probe. A local doctor and representatives of the manufacturer have been arrested or booked under serious charges.
Rajasthan also reported two child deaths associated with the use of the same syrup. These incidents prompted immediate alerts and joint investigations between state agencies and the central government. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) began risk-based inspections at relevant manufacturing units.
States that have issued bans or advisories
A fast-growing list of Indian states has acted against Coldrif syrup as more details of the tragedy have emerged:
Madhya Pradesh: Imposed a total ban on Coldrif sales and suspended all stock after confirming contamination. The ban extends to all Sresan Pharma products until further notice.
Tamil Nadu: The first to act, after its Food Safety and Drug Administration confirmed the presence of DEG in samples from the company’s Kanchipuram factory. Production and sale of Coldrif are fully halted across the state.
Kerala: Banned the sale and distribution of Coldrif syrup statewide, even though the specific tainted batch wasn’t confirmed in local pharmacies. The decision was taken as “an abundance of caution”.
Rajasthan: Sounded a public alert, assisted in national investigations, and ordered intensive checks though no formal state-wide ban is confirmed yet.
Telangana: Issued a “public alert – stop-use notice” for Coldrif syrup following the upsurge of reports from MP and Rajasthan.
Central government and national advisory
In response to the growing crisis, India’s Union Health Ministry has issued a countrywide advisory against prescribing or dispensing cough and cold syrups, including Coldrif, to children below two years. The Health Ministry has written to all state drug controllers and health directors urging strict vigilance and adherence to safety standards and ordering comprehensive sampling and seizure of suspect batches.