WHO Issues Global Alert Over Contaminated Indian Cough Syrups

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a critical health advisory, urging global authorities to be on high alert after identifying three specific batches of cough syrups manufactured in India as “substandard” and dangerously contaminated. The affected products are Coldrif (from Sresan Pharmaceutical), Respifresh TR (from Rednex Pharmaceuticals), and ReLife (from Shape Pharma).

The WHO alert follows reports of clusters of severe illness and fatalities among children, primarily in Madhya Pradesh, linked to the consumption of these oral liquid medicines. Laboratory analysis by state and central regulators confirmed the presence of diethylene glycol (DEG)—a highly toxic industrial solvent—in the syrups. The contamination level in Coldrif,

for instance, was reported to be nearly 500 times above the permissible limit.

Diethylene glycol is toxic to humans and can cause severe, potentially life-threatening illness. Ingesting the chemical can lead to serious adverse effects, including abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, headache, altered mental state, and acute kidney injury, which may result in death, particularly in young children. The WHO stressed that these contaminated products are unsafe and must not be used or dispensed.

In response, India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has informed the global health body that relevant state authorities have ordered an immediate halt to production at the implicated manufacturing sites, suspended product authorisations, and initiated a recall of the contaminated batches.

The CDSCO has clarified that there is currently no evidence that the contaminated medicines were formally exported from India. However, the WHO has called for vigilance across all countries, especially concerning informal and unregulated supply chains, where these products could still circulate undetected. Healthcare professionals, regulatory authorities, and the public worldwide are advised to report any detection of these substandard products and any associated adverse effects to their national health authorities immediately.