The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a global health advisory warning against the use and distribution of three Indian-manufactured cough syrups Coldrif, Respifresh TR, and ReLife after they were linked to the deaths of multiple children across India over the past month.
According to the WHO, laboratory analysis revealed that these syrups contained dangerously high levels of diethylene glycol (DEG) a toxic chemical commonly used in industrial solvents but lethal when ingested. Even small quantities can cause kidney failure, brain damage, and death, particularly in children.
Three Indian Firms Under Scrutiny
The contaminated syrups were produced by Sresan Pharmaceutical, Rednex Pharmaceuticals, and Shape Pharma. Following the WHO alert, Indian authorities have suspended production licenses of all three firms and ordered immediate recalls of the affected batches.
“There is currently no evidence of illegal export,” the WHO said, but urged other nations to remain alert to any oral liquid medicines originating from the same manufacturers since December 2024.
Authorities in Tamil Nadu, where Sresan Pharmaceuticals is based, confirmed that the company’s license had been revoked and its operations shut down after investigations linked at least 19 child deaths in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district to Coldrif syrup.
“Initially, the children showed symptoms of cough and cold, followed by kidney failure that led to death,” said Ajay Pandey, Superintendent of Chhindwara district hospital. Tests later confirmed DEG contamination above permissible limits, he added.
Arrests and Disciplinary Action
Police in Tamil Nadu have arrested the owner of Sresan Pharmaceuticals, while two senior drug inspectors from Kanchipuram were suspended for failing to conduct required inspections at the manufacturing site.
A case is also being prepared against a local doctor accused of prescribing the tainted medicine, officials said.
History of Similar Incidents
This is not the first instance of toxic cough syrups emerging from India the world’s largest exporter of generic medicines. In 2023, contaminated Indian syrups were linked to the deaths of dozens of children in Uzbekistan and The Gambia.
Back in 2022, India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) had suspended the production of cough syrups made by Maiden Pharmaceuticals, after global testing found unacceptable levels of DEG and ethylene glycol, chemicals known to cause severe organ damage.
Those products were later associated with over 60 child deaths in The Gambia and more than 20 in Indonesia, prompting a global outcry over pharmaceutical safety standards in India.
Global Health Concerns
The WHO said it first detected clusters of acute kidney failure and child deaths across several Indian states in late September 2025. Tests confirmed DEG contamination in the three syrups consumed by affected children.
The organization has called on international regulators to strengthen surveillance on drug manufacturing and testing, particularly in supply chains involving low-cost generic exports.
