CHENNAI: India’s southern state of Tamil Nadu has cancelled the manufacturing licences of a cough syrup-maker linked to the deaths of several children.
The state government announced the complete cancellation of Sresan Pharmaceuticals’ licences and the shutdown of the company.
At least 19 children died in the central state of Madhya Pradesh after consuming the syrup.
A test this month revealed the syrup contained nearly 500 times the permissible limit of diethylene glycol, a toxic chemical.
The medicine was only sold within India but raises fresh quality concerns about the country’s pharmaceutical industry.
India’s pharmaceutical exports were previously linked to the deaths of 10 children in Cameroon, Gambia and Uzbekistan in 2023.
Financial crime-fighting agency the Enforcement Directorate is searching seven premises linked to the company in Chennai.
The searches are being conducted on accusations of money laundering according to a source.
Some of the premises being searched include homes of top officials from the state’s drug control office.
The source requested anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to media.
Telephone calls to the company owner G. Ranganathan, who was arrested last week, went unanswered.
The Enforcement Directorate did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.
India supplies 40% of generic medicines used in the United States and more than 90% of all medicines in many African nations.
Indian law requires drugmakers to test each batch of raw materials and the final product.
Exports of cough syrup must undergo additional testing at government-mandated laboratories since 2023.
Last week the World Health Organisation flagged India’s regulatory gap in screening domestically-sold medicinal syrups.
Indian authorities have stepped up scrutiny of such syrups since the recent deaths.
Authorities have also warned against consumption of two more syrups sold domestically called Respifresh and RELIFE.
These products were found to contain the same toxic chemical diethylene glycol.
The syrups are made by Shape Pharma and Rednex Pharmaceuticals based in Gujarat.
Officials from neither company responded to calls from Reuters seeking comment. – Reuters
