Chennai – Tamil Nadu Government will take criminal action against a drug manufacturer, whose cough syrup has been banned in the wake of children’s deaths in Madhya Pradesh, state minister M A Subramanian said here on Wednesday.
The government has issued its second notice against the drug manufacturer for the alleged presence of diethylene glycol in the cough syrup Coldrif, asking why criminal action should not be taken, the health and family welfare minister informed. The company has been making the cough syrup which contained 48.6 per cent of the ‘poisonous substance’ as per the findings of the State Drug Control department, he added.
On Wednesday Subramanian said the government is taking all measures to ensure the closure of the drug manufacturer. “On October 3, the samples collected by the drug controller declared the syrups to be adulterated. We have issued stop production order to the company. We have also asked the company why it should not be shut and asked for an explanation,” he said.
Maintaining that the government is expecting a response from the company for the notice it has sent, Subramanian said, “Whatever be their explanation, we will take action as per the law.
The government is taking all measures to ensure the closure of the firm.” Subramanian said, on October 7, through Drug Inspector another show cause notice has been issued against the company asking why criminal action should not be taken. “We will take criminal action against them,” he said.
As many as 20 children in Madhya Pradesh died while undergoing treatment for kidney failure after drinking a contaminated cough syrup, state Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla said on October 7.
Cough syrup deaths: Pharma company to face criminal action
