Kolkata: In the wake of deaths of several children in Madhya Pradesh, allegedly after consuming the cough syrup, ‘Coldrif’, the syrup has been banned in Bengal.
The Bengal Chemists and Druggists Association (BCDA) has already directed all retail and wholesale medicine sellers in the state to halt the sale and purchase of the Coldrif cough syrup with immediate effect.
The BCDA also issued an advisory warning against stocking the cough syrup. The state has taken precautionary measures to check any untoward incident. The batch linked to the Madhya Pradesh incident has not entered Bengal, but the BCDA banned the cough syrup as a precautionary measure. A meeting with medicine retailers has been scheduled on Saturday to reinforce the advisory already issued by the BCDA. After the Madhya Pradesh incident, there has been a growing concern over the safety of over-the-counter cough syrups. The manufacturer of Coldrif, a Tamil Nadu-based firm, has been arrested following the deaths, which triggered panic in several states.
According to reports, the syrup contains chemicals such as propylene glycol, glycerin, and sorbitol.
Incidentally, the West Bengal State Drug Control Board has directed that these ingredients be sourced only from approved vendors and tested in certified labs. Test reports are to be submitted to the board’s licensing authority.