11 children die due to acute kidney failure after consuming cough syrup, government issues advisory

New Delhi: Following the deaths of 11 children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan after consuming a “deadly” cough syrup, the Tamil Nadu government has banned the sale of the cough syrup “Coldrif” and ordered its removal from the market.

Kidney failure

According to reports, children under five in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara died due to acute kidney failure. Senior Congress leader Kamal Nath on Friday, 03 October 2025, blamed mixing of “brake oil solvent” in cough syrups for the deaths of children with a suspected kidney ailment in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district since September 7.

Completely banned for sale

An official from the Food Safety and Drug Administration Department stated that the cough syrup manufactured by the city-based company has been completely banned for sale in Tamil Nadu since October 1. He stated that the pharmaceutical company’s production plant in Sunguvarchatram, neighbouring Kanchipuram district, was inspected over the past two days and samples were collected. He added that the company supplies medicines to Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Puducherry.

Samples will be sent to government laboratory

According to news agency PTI, the official stated that the samples will be sent to a government laboratory to test for the presence of a chemical called “diethylene glycol” in the cough syrup.

Following the deaths of children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, the Union Health Ministry on Friday, 03 October 2025, directed all states and union territories not to administer cough and cold medicines to children under the age of two. The Directorate General of Health Services issued this advisory following the deaths of children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan due to the “deadly” cough syrup.

Company ordered to stop production

A Food Safety Officer stated that the department has been instructed to stop the sale of the syrup and freeze its stock from October 1. Samples collected from the facility by the central government will also be tested. Responding to a question, he said that the company supplied the syrup to Puducherry, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh.

The Department of Pharmaceuticals stated that the company has been ordered to stop production of the syrup at its facility until the lab report is received. The department stated that it expects the report to be released in the coming days.