Was cough syrup linked to child deaths exported to other countries: WHO to Indian authorities
New Delhi (PTI): The World Health Organisation has sought to know from Indian authorities whether the cough syrup linked to child deaths in the country was exported to other nations, sources said on Thursday.
They said the global health agency will take a call on issuing a 'Global Medical Products Alert' on the cough syrup, Coldrif, after receiving an official confirmation from authorities here. The agency issues such alerts for substandard and contaminated medicines.
Five children from Madhya Pradesh are in a critical condition, while 20 have died due to kidney infections caused by the consumption of the "contaminated" cough syrup, containing Diethylene Glycol (DEG) and Ethylene Glycol (EG).
Besides, at least three children have allegedly died in Rajasthan after consuming cough syrup in different districts of the state.
"The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Wednesday has asked for a clarification on whether the cough syrup linked to children deaths in the country was exported to other countries as part of the routine process", the sources said.
The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on Wednesday had urged all state and UT drug controllers to ensure testing of raw materials and finished formulations of pharmaceutical products before releasing in them in the market in the wake of children deaths allegedly due to consumption of contaminated cough syrup in Madhya Pradesh.
In an advisory, the DCGI said during recent inspections at manufacturing facilities and in the investigations of the drugs declared as 'Not of Standard Quality', it was found that several manufacturers are not testing each batch of excipients and active ingredients for compliance with prescribed standards before use.
There have been recent reports of child deaths in Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh, allegedly linked to contaminated cough syrups and concerns related to quality of these cough syrups, the advisory stated.
"During the inspections carried out at the manufacturing facilities and in the investigations of the drugs declared as Not of Standard Quality, it was observed in the reports that the manufacturers are not carrying out testing of each batch of the excipients/inactive and active pharmaceutical ingredients for verification of compliance with the prescribed standards before using them in the manufacture of formulations and also in the finished products," the advisory dated October 7 said.
"All State/UT drug controllers are requested to take measures to ensure testing before the manufacture and release of the batch to the market by way of monitoring during inspections, sensitising the manufacturers through circulars, etc. Further, it shall also be ensured that the manufacturers have robust vendor qualification system in place and use raw materials including excipients from reliable approved vendors only," the advisory said.
The Centre in 2023 had ordered pharma companies to mention warnings on the label and the package insert stating the fixed-dose combination (FDC) of chlorpheniramine maleate IP 2mg and phenylephrine HCl IP 5mg drop/ml "should not be used in children below four years of age".
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Mere breakup not enough for abetment to suicide: Delhi HC
New Delhi (PTI): Merely breaking up may not amount to instigation for a case of abetment of suicide under the criminal law, the Delhi High Court has said.
Justice Manoj Jain made the observation while dealing with a bail plea by a man accused of abetting the suicide of his former partner, who hanged herself five days after his marriage to another woman.
Granting bail to the accused, the court observed that the instigation should be of such a nature that leaves the deceased with no option but to commit suicide.
It said only a trial would establish whether the deceased's "extreme step" was on account of provocation, instigation, "merely on account of her being hyper-sensitive girl" or for some other reason.
ALSO READ: ASHA workers threaten indefinite strike from Feb 27 over rationalisation order, pending demands
In the present case, the court noted, there was no dying declaration, and the parties were in a relationship for around eight years, during which there was no complaint from the deceased.
The court observed there was a considerable time gap between the date when the parties stopped talking and the date of the suicide.
"Apparently, it seems to be a case of a broken relationship and quite possibly, the deceased, having come to know that the applicant has got married to someone else, has chosen to finish herself," the court said in the order passed on February 24.
"Though broken relationship and heartbreaks have become common these days, mere breaking-up of relationship may not per se constitute instigation so as to make it to be a case of abetment under Section 108 BNS (abetment of suicide)," the court order read.
According to the father of the deceased, his daughter had been trapped by the accused, who pressured her to convert to his religion for marriage, and it was under such pressure that his daughter committed suicide by hanging herself with a chunni in October 2025.
The accused was arrested in November 2025.
The court observed that, according to the woman's friends, she was upset, and they never claimed anything on conversion. The accused had stopped talking to her from February 2025 onwards, it said.
According to the order, the man was let out on bail on a personal bond and surety bond of Rs 25,000 each.
The accused submitted that the parties were in a cordial relationship for around eight years, but the woman's parents were against the relationship since they belonged to different religions.
He alleged that it was her parents who forced her to sever the relationship.
