The Drugs Control Administration (DCA) in Telangana has issued a crucial ‘Stop Use Notice’ for two cough syrups, acting on a stern warning from the Drug Testing Laboratory in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. The lab definitively identified these syrups as adulterated with Diethylene Glycol (DEG), a chemical notoriously linked to severe health complications and tragic fatalities.
The specific products found to be contaminated are:
- Relife Cough Syrup (containing Ambroxol Hydrochloride, Guaiphenesin, Terbutaline Sulphate, and Menthol Syrup), from batch number LSL25160, manufactured by M/s. Shape Pharma Private Limited, Shekhpar, Gujarat.
- Respifresh TR Cough Syrup (containing Bromhexine Hydrochloride, Terbutaline Sulphate, Guaiphenesin, and Menthol Syrup), from batch number R01GL2523, manufactured by M/s. Rednex Pharmaceuticals Private Limited, Bavla, Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
Both implicated batches share an expiry date of December 2026.
Diethylene Glycol is an industrial solvent that, when ingested, has devastating toxic effects. It can lead to acute kidney failure, irreversible neurological damage, and in the most severe instances, death.
Need Assistance? Contact the DCA
Following this urgent alert, the DCA is strongly advising anyone in possession of these two cough syrups to immediately cease their use and report them to their nearest Drugs Control Authority office. For direct communication, citizens can contact the DCA via their toll-free number, 1800-599-6969, available from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on all working days.
Furthermore, the DCA has instructed all Drugs Inspectors and Assistant Directors across Telangana to promptly notify retailers, wholesalers, distributors, and hospitals. The directive is to freeze any existing stock of the identified batches, ensuring they are neither dispensed nor sold to the public.
This is not an isolated incident. The DCA had previously issued a public advisory against the use of Coldrif Syrup, batch number SR-13, after reports from Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan indicated a link between its consumption and the deaths of several children. The authorities remain vigilant in safeguarding public health against such dangerous pharmaceutical products.