DEG found in cough syrup linked to child deaths

India Oct 04, 2025

India's Health Ministry is looking into whether Coldrif Cough Syrup caused the deaths of nine kids in Madhya Pradesh.
Tests found a toxic chemical, diethylene glycol (DEG), in the syrup—way above safe limits.
This chemical, found at Sresan Pharma's factory in Tamil Nadu, can be deadly if consumed.

Indian syrups have raised international concerns before

This isn't the first time Indian cough syrups have raised alarms.
Back in 2022, the WHO linked another Indian-made syrup to child deaths in Gambia, though India pushed back on that claim.
Now, as more drug manufacturers are being inspected across several states, questions about medicine safety and quality control are front and center again.