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India Rejects Extension for Drug Plant Upgrades After Deadly Cough Syrup Scandal

Sweeping inspections in Tamil Nadu reflect a pivot to tighter oversight after contradictory lab findings.

Overview

  • New Delhi declined industry requests to delay the year-end WHO-standard upgrade deadline, a decision shaped by Sresan’s failure to modernize its facility.
  • Government tests on Sresan’s Coldrif found 48.6% diethylene glycol—nearly 500 times the limit—after a May batch was linked to at least 24 child deaths.
  • Sresan’s manufacturing licence has been revoked, its products banned, and founder S. Ranganathan was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter as the plant was sealed.
  • Tamil Nadu says it confirmed toxicity within 48 hours of an October 1 alert, banned sales, formed special monitoring teams, and began statewide audits of 397 drug units.
  • Some Union and Madhya Pradesh lab tests initially reported no DEG or ethylene glycol, prompting ongoing probes as the IPC orders pre-sale DEG/EG testing for oral liquids and states issue additional alerts.