Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ma. Subramanian confirmed to the Assembly on Friday that the Tamil Nadu Drugs Control Department acted with remarkable speed to ban the sale of Coldrif syrup and seal Sresan Pharmaceuticals. This decisive action came after receiving a critical warning from Madhya Pradesh regarding child fatalities attributed to the hazardous drug.
The Health Minister was addressing a Calling Attention Motion brought forth by opposition members and DMK alliance partners, all concerned about the ban on the Coldrif cough syrup. Minister Subramanian elaborated that the alert, indicating the first death in Chhindwara district, was issued by Madhya Pradesh’s Drugs Control Department on October 1, approximately 25 days after the incident.
Responding instantly, a team led by a Senior Drugs Inspector initiated an inspection of the company on the very day the alert was received, leading to an immediate statewide ban on the syrup. Subsequent rigorous inspections on October 1 and 2 uncovered numerous violations of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945. Alarmingly, samples sent for analysis conclusively confirmed the presence of a highly toxic chemical, Diethylene Glycol (DEG), at a concentration of 48.6% in the syrup.
Further investigations revealed that Sresan Pharmaceuticals had also distributed the drug to Odisha and Puducherry. These governments were promptly notified to facilitate necessary follow-up actions. On October 3, prioritizing public safety, the department issued a ‘Stop Production Order’ and sealed the manufacturing unit. A comprehensive report was dispatched to the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) and the Deputy Drugs Controller (South Zone), Chennai.
Within a rapid 48-hour window from the initial alert, Tamil Nadu authorities successfully halted sales, seized all available stock, and began the process of revoking the company’s licenses. A public health advisory was also disseminated on October 3. Criminal proceedings were initiated against the company’s owner, Ranganathan, who was arrested on October 9 through a joint operation by the Tamil Nadu Police and the Madhya Pradesh Special Investigation Team.
By October 8, all remaining stocks of the Coldrif syrup from wholesalers and retailers had been confiscated. Accountability measures also extended to official negligence, with two Senior Drugs Inspectors in Kancheepuram district being suspended for their failure to conduct proper inspections in the previous year. On October 13, the company’s manufacturing licenses were permanently canceled, and the unit was shut down indefinitely. The State government has since mandated comprehensive inspections of all 397 drug manufacturing units across Tamil Nadu, with a specific focus on 50 units that produce syrups.
Minister Subramanian further highlighted a significant regulatory lapse: despite regulations requiring joint inspections by officials from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) every three years, Sresan Pharmaceuticals had inexplicably never been inspected by CDSCO officials since its establishment in 2011.