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Coldrif cough syrup (Sresan Pharmaceuticals)

Last checked 19 September 2026. Some details are still being verified.

Coldrif cough syrup (Sresan Pharmaceuticals)
Recalled · licence cancelledSresan Pharmaceuticals · Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu

Coldrif, a paediatric cough syrup made by Sresan Pharmaceuticals of Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu, was found in October 2025 to contain diethylene glycol at 46.28 to 48.6 per cent, far above the 0.1 per cent limit, after children in Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, died of acute kidney injury. The final toll was 24 children in Madhya Pradesh and 3 in Rajasthan. Madhya Pradesh banned the syrup on 2 October 2025, more than ten states followed, Tamil Nadu cancelled all of Sresan's licences and sealed the plant, the owner and a prescribing doctor were arrested, and the WHO issued Medical Product Alert N°5/2025 on 13 October 2025.

Status as of 19 September 2026

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Primary government sourceTier 1: government primary source

WHO Medical Product Alert N°5/2025: Substandard (contaminated) oral liquid medicines

CDSCO and state drug controllers · 13 October 2025

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Scope. A record here does not by itself mean a product or company is unsafe or banned today. Regulatory actions can apply to one batch, one formulation, one period or one state. Always check the linked government document for the current position, and tell us if something is out of date. How we label records.

Affected products and batches

ProductBatchNote
Coldrif SyrupSR-1346.28 to 48.6% diethylene glycol (limit 0.1%)

Current status

Coldrif is recalled and prohibited across India; Sresan Pharmaceuticals has no valid licence and its plant is sealed; criminal and Enforcement Directorate proceedings continue as of 19 Sep 2026. The WHO found no evidence that the syrup was exported.

What to do if you have this product

Step 1

Do not use any Coldrif bottle, whatever the batch; return it to the pharmacy or hand it to the state drug inspector.

Step 2

If a child took Coldrif and has reduced urine, vomiting or drowsiness, seek hospital care immediately and say what was given.

Step 3

Do not give any cough syrup to a child under two, and avoid them under five unless a doctor advises (DGHS advisory, 4 Oct 2025).

Step 4

Report suspected reactions to the Pharmacovigilance Programme of India or a state drug controller.

Official sources and primary records

Researched and written by The Blacklisted team
We are not doctors or pharmacists. Everything on this page comes from the documents listed above, which you can open and check. Last checked 19 September 2026. 2 details are still being confirmed against the original. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.