Licenses Of Killer Syrup Maker Revoked
The state health department said the company has been officially shut down following the detection of toxic contaminants, specifically Diethylene Glycol (DEG), in its cough syrup
Chennai: Drug manufacturing licences of Sresan Pharmaceutical Company, the makers of Coldrif cough syrup that had claimed more than a score of lives in Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh, were cancelled by the Tamil Nadu Drugs Control department that also closed down the company in Chennai completely on Monday, besides monitoring the functioning of all pharmaceutical companies in the State.
Ever since the State drug control department was alerted by its Madhya Pradesh counterpart on September 4, a series of investigations were launched into the varied charges of Coldrif cough syrup causing the deaths of children and the owner of the company, 75-year-old Ranganthan, was also arrested in Chennai by the Special Investigation Team from Madhya Pradesh with the help of Tamil Nadu Police.
A case was also filed with the Sunguvarchatram police station as laboratory tests revealed that a toxic chemical Diethylene Glycol (DEG) was present in the samples to the extent of 48.6 percent. The State government after starting the crackdown on the company had even alerted States like Odisha and Puducherry, to which the Coldrif syrup had been dispatched by the company.
All through its probe into the case, the State government had kept the Drugs Controller General of India, the Deputy Drugs Controller of South Zone and also the Madhya Pradesh Drugs Control department of the developments and had even issued the stop production order on October 3 itself.
Among the action taken on the case was the suspension of two senior drug inspectors of Kanchipuram for negligence in not carrying out inspections in the factory and on Monday all drug manufacturing licences were cancelled.
