WHO issues worldwide alert against three substandard cough syrups in India; J&K bans these cough syrups

STC NEWS MONITORING DESK
NEW DEKHI, OCTOBER 15 (STC): Three oral cough syrups in India – Coldrif, Respifresh TR and ReLife – have been identified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as “substandard” and in an alert national regulatory authorities worldwide have been urged to immediately notify it if these are detected in their country, said a report.
The Jammu and Kashmir Drug and Food Control Organisation (DFCO) has imposed a ban on the sale, distribution, and use of three cough syrup brands, including ColdRif Syrup, RespiFresh-TR and Relif Syrup, after laboratory tests declared them “Not of Standard Quality” due to the presence of toxic impurities.
The WHO alert comes after at least 22 children, mostly under the age of five, have died due to suspected kidney failure after being administered Coldrif in Madhya Pradesh. Besides, at least three children have allegedly died in Rajasthan after consuming cough syrup in different districts of the state.
The WHO has also advised healthcare professionals to report the detection of these substandard products and any incident of adverse effects, or lack of expected effects to their national regulatory authorities or National Pharmacovigilance Centre.
It has further called for increased surveillance and diligence within the supply chains of countries and regions likely to be affected by these substandard products.
It has been reported that the affected products are oral liquid medicines containing active ingredients commonly used to relieve symptoms of common cold, flu, or cough
According to the alert, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) of India reported to WHO the presence of Diethylene Glycol (DEG) in at least three oral liquid medicines in October 8. This followed information identified by WHO on September 30 of localised clusters of acute illness and child fatalities in India.
(Straight Talk Communications)