The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The World Health Organization has issued a global alert after three cough syrups were linked to the deaths of several children in India over the past month.
In its advisory, the WHO said laboratory tests found dangerously high levels of diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol (EG) in certain batches of the syrups. Both chemicals are toxic and can cause fatal poisoning, particularly in children.
The affected products are oral liquid formulations sold under the names Coldrif, Respifresh TR, and ReLife. They were manufactured by three Indian pharmaceutical companies: Sresan Pharmaceutical, Rednex Pharmaceuticals, and Shape Pharma.
The agency has urged governments, health providers, and the public to stop using and distributing the identified batches, warning that contaminated medicines pose an immediate risk of serious illness and death.
According to CNN World, this is not the first time dangerous levels of toxic chemicals have been detected in cough medicines manufactured in India. In 2023, exported cough syrups were linked to the deaths of dozens of children in Uzbekistan and The Gambia.
Indian state authorities have ordered an immediate halt to drug production at the three manufacturers and have suspended product authorizations.
According to Health Policy Watch, more than 20 children have died in India this month after consuming the contaminated cough syrup found to contain nearly 45 percent diethylene glycol. The concentration is hundreds of times above the permissible limit of 0.1 percent set by pharmacopeial safety standards.
DEG and EG are chemicals used in various industrial products, including brake fluid and antifreeze. They are not meant for human consumption and should never be used in medicines or food. Both chemicals are highly toxic, even in small amounts.
When ingested, DEG and EG are broken down by the body into poisonous compounds that can damage vital organs. They can cause kidney failure, liver damage, problems with the nervous system, such as confusion, seizures, or coma, breathing difficulties, and, in severe cases, death.
Children are particularly vulnerable because their smaller bodies make them more sensitive to these toxins.
While several children have tragically died in India after consuming contaminated cough syrups, Bhutan remains on the safer side, local authorities say.
The Bhutan Food and Drug Authority (BFDA) confirmed that all medicinal products imported, sold, and distributed in Bhutan are carefully evaluated and approved by the agency.
Oral liquid medicines, including cough syrups, are specifically tested for the presence of harmful chemicals like ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol before receiving approval.
Importantly, the three cough syrups identified by the World Health Organization (WHO): Coldrif, Respifresh TR, and ReLife, are not available in Bhutan. “The three contaminated cough syrups are not available in the Bhutanese market, since they are neither approved for use nor authorized for importation into the country,” the agency said.
The BFDA also advised citizens to refrain from purchasing or using these cough syrups from across the border, cautioning that consuming unapproved medicines can pose serious health risks.
According to the BFDA, the three cough syrups identified by the WHO contained levels of EG and DEG far above the permissible limit of 0.1 percent.
Coldrif Syrup (Batch no: SR-13), manufactured by Sresan Pharmaceutical, contained 46.28 percent, Respifresh TR (Batch no: R01GL2523), manufactured by Rednex Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd, contained 1.34 percent, and ReLife Syrup manufactured by Shape Pharma (Batch no: LSL25160) contained 0.616 percent.
However, the risk remains for people living near the border who might unknowingly purchase these syrups from across.
The Bhutanese contacted the Chief Regulatory Officer at the Bhutan Food and Drug Authority, Jigme Tenzin, who assured that the three contaminated products had never reached Bhutan. He said, “These three contaminated cough syrups are not registered with us, so they are not being imported into our country.” He added that the syrups were only for use within the state of India.
Moreover, Jigme Tenzin said that BFDA teams have inspected entry points along the borders but did not find any of the above-mentioned syrups.
When asked how the authority plans to keep these products out of the hands of Bhutanese who might unknowingly purchase them, he explained that inspection teams continue to monitor all entry and border points to prevent any unapproved medicines from entering the country.
