Tamil Nadu Revokes Licence of Sresan Pharma, Orders Shutdown Over Toxic Cough Syrup

By A Staff Reporter

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government on Monday announced the complete revocation of the manufacturing licence of Sresan Pharmaceuticals and ordered the closure of the company after its cough syrup Coldrif was found to contain dangerously high levels of Diethylene Glycol (DEG), a toxic substance.

Officials from the state Drug Control Department said the decision followed an extensive inspection that uncovered severe lapses in manufacturing standards. Laboratory tests revealed that Coldrif contained 48.6 per cent DEG, a compound known to cause acute kidney failure and death. The syrup has been linked to the deaths of several children in Madhya Pradesh.

Authorities also found that the company failed to comply with basic good manufacturing practices (GMP) and good laboratory practices (GLP). Inspectors recorded over 300 critical and major violations during the inspection, including unhygienic conditions and lack of quality control protocols.

The company’s owner, G. Ranganathan, was recently arrested by a special investigation team from Madhya Pradesh as part of the ongoing probe into the incident.

The Tamil Nadu government stated that strict action would continue against pharmaceutical manufacturers violating safety standards, stressing that “public health and consumer safety remain the top priority.”