Bengal chemist body bans sale of deadly Coldrif cough syrup

West Bengal Chemist and Druggist Association has banned the sale and purchase of the cough syrup Coldrif across the state. This precautionary move comes in the wake of a tragic incident in Madhya Pradesh, where the consumption of the same medicine is suspected to have caused the deaths of more than 20 children.

The directive for the immediate prohibition was issued to all wholesale and retail drug vendors. They have been explicitly instructed to cease all transactions involving the "poisonous" Coldrif cough syrup forthwith. Child health experts have stated that the cough syrup almost certainly contained the toxic compounds Di-ethylene Glycol (DEG) and Ethylene Glycol.

The State Drug Control Board in West Bengal has also issued a separate, rigorous guideline for pharmaceutical manufacturers. The new instruction mandates that essential components used in cough syrups, such as Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, and Sorbitol, must be sourced exclusively from officially authorized suppliers.

Furthermore, manufacturers are now required to submit proof that these ingredients have been subjected to multiple laboratory tests to certify their purity before being used in any medicine batch. Significantly, the Bengal Chemist and Druggist Association's Secretary confirmed that the specific batch number of Coldrif cough syrup linked to the child deaths in Madhya Pradesh has not entered the West Bengal supply chain.