In view of the death of newborns and children due to phlegm syrup in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, now Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stopped the sale, distribution and use of Coldrif Syrup batch number SR 13 with immediate effect. Those who have this syrup have been instructed to inform the drug control officials. At the same time, the Drugs Department of Uttar Pradesh has ordered an inquiry into cuff syrup. Currently, Coldrif Cuff Syrup has been banned in Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra. So far, 16 children in Madhya Pradesh have lost their lives due to this syrup, while three children have died in Rajasthan.
Kapha syrup present in medical store will be investigated
The Assistant Commissioner of Uttar Pradesh has ordered the drug inspectors of all the districts to sample the phlegm syrup from the pharma company to the medical store and seize the identified deadly phlegm syrup.
UP Assistant Commissioner (Drugs) has issued strict instructions to all the drug inspectors of the state with immediate effect. This action is mainly taken after a letter received from the Madhya Pradesh State License Authority, which has found adulteration of harmful elements called Diethylene Glycol in a cuff syrup manufactured by Messrs Sresan Pharmaceutical, Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu). This element can be fatal for patients.
What is said in the instructions issued?
-If the Coldrif Syrup (batch number SR-13) or any other cuff syrup is found in the Cold Sale Instruments (Medical Store) and Government/Non-Government Hospitals, or any other cuff syrup is found, then the sample is taken and the purchase of the purchase should be prohibited immediately.
-Take necessary preventive action by raising samples of phlegm syrup available in all medical stores and hospitals.
All the samples of the collected cuff syrup should be immediately sent to the Lucknow laboratory for testing.
-Before collecting the mumps, the authorities must ensure that the same medicine (similar medicine and batch number) sample is not compiled more than once.
-Along with cuff syrup from the manufacturing units running in Ilake, a sample of Propylene Glycol used in it should also be sent to Lucknow laboratory for examination.
-FSDA has asked to strictly ensure these instructions. A copy of the letter has been sent to many higher officials and organizations in this regard.
Simultaneously, the Managing Director of UP Medical Supplies Corporation has been requested that if any phlegm syrup of Messrs Srasan Pharmaceutical is available in their reserves, then stop the distribution of its distribution.
-The department has requested the organizations of chemists and medical store operators to provide information about the stock of medicines (phlegm syrup) of the Messrs Srasan Pharmaceutical available to the drug vendors through their organization.
Instructions issued in Uttarakhand
Health Secretary and Commissioner of Uttarakhand, Food Safety and Drug Administration, Dr. R.K. Rajesh Kumar has issued instructions to all the District Magistrates and Chief Medical Officers across the state. Dr. R. Rajesh Kumar said that children below two years of age should not be given any kind of cough or cold medicine.
For children under five years of age, regular use of such drugs is not recommended. They should be used only on the advice of a specialist physician, in the right dose and for minimum required period. He further said that in most cases, coughs and colds in children recover on their own, so doctors should avoid unnecessary use of these medicines strictly.
The Health Secretary has directed all the districts to ensure that the drug inspector collect samples of phlegm syrup in a phased manner and get them tested in laboratories. This will help identify cheap or harmful drugs from the market and remove them immediately. He also directed that all doctors and pharmacists should strictly follow central consultation.
Ban in Kerala, strictness in Telangana
In Telangana and Kerala, strictness has been taken over cold syrup. Telangana Drugs Control Administration issued ‘Public Alert-Stop Use Notice’ for batch number SR-13 on Saturday. The agency warned that this syrup has found adulteration of poisonous chemical called DEG, which can pose a serious health risk. At the same time, Drugs Control Department of Kerala has also decided to ban its sale.
CDSCO initiated action
Cases of children’s deaths have taken a serious form, after which the Central Drug Standards Control Organization (CDSCO) has initiated major action. After the events of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, CDSCO teams have started inspection of drug construction units located in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. During this time 19 samples including phlegm syrup, antibiotics and antipyretics were taken for examination. The main objective of this investigation is to highlight the quality of drugs and recommend improving the production process to prevent such tragedies in the future.
Input Santosh Sharma and News Agency
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