Srinagar, Oct 15 (NationPress) The Jammu and Kashmir Drug and Food Control Organisation (DFCO) has enacted a prohibition on the sale, distribution, and usage of three specific cough syrup brands: Coldrif syrup, RespiFresh-TR, and Relif Syrup. This decision follows laboratory analyses that declared these products as “Not of Standard Quality” due to toxic contaminants, as reported by officials on Wednesday.

An official release stated that the alert stemmed from a message from the Central Drugs Standard Control Programme under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, which identified that the syrups contained Diethylene Glycol (DEG) impurities exceeding permissible limits. DEG is a harmful compound associated with severe poisoning incidents and has been linked to tragic child fatalities in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

The public notice from the Office of the State Drugs Controller lists the affected products: Relif Syrup (Ambroxol HCl, Terbutaline Sulphate, Guaiphenesin & Menthol) produced by M/s Shape Pharma Pvt Ltd, Gujarat, and marketed by Leo Life Science Pvt Ltd, Ahmedabad; RespiFresh-TR Syrup (Bromhexine Hydrochloride, Terbutaline Sulphate, Guaiphenesin & Menthol) from M/s Rednex Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Ahmedabad, and marketed by Smartway Wellness Pvt Ltd, Sanand; and Coldrif Syrup (Paracetamol, Phenylephrine Hydrochloride & Chlorpheniramine Maleate) made by M/s Sresan Pharmaceuticals, Tamil Nadu.

The drug formulations of these cough syrups have been categorized as ‘Not of Standard Quality’ due to their non-compliance with safety standards regarding the permissible levels of Diethylene Glycol, as per the Government Analyst, Drug Testing Laboratory, Food and Drug Administration, M.P. In light of this, the DFCO urgently instructed the Director of SKIMS Soura and all Medical College Hospital Principals in Jammu and Kashmir to spread this information to the Heads of Departments (HoDs) for prompt action.

The DFCO's notice emphasized the critical nature of this situation, especially given the association of these products with child fatalities in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, prompting the decision to prohibit their sale, distribution, and use in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir.

Any stock present in Jammu & Kashmir must be reported to the J&K State Drug Controller's office. It's worth noting that several states have already banned these cough syrups, while others have restricted the use of all cough and cold syrups for children under two years old.

On October 4, 2025, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued a warning advising against prescribing or dispensing cough and cold medications to children younger than two years. The ministry states that such medicines are generally not advised for children under five and should only be given to older children after thorough clinical assessment and under strict medical oversight. The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) had earlier advised all States and Union Territories on the careful use of cough syrups among the pediatric population following reports of deaths related to consumption in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed “deep concern” regarding the deficiencies in drug safety regulations in India, especially after the unfortunate deaths of children attributed to contaminated cough syrups.

Furthermore, the WHO cautioned that these medicines could potentially be distributed to other countries through unregulated channels. The fatalities reported from Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan over the past month have been linked to three cough syrups, which samples have revealed to contain Diethylene Glycol (DEG), a toxic substance commonly found in industrial solvents.