VISAKHAPATNAM: Close on the heels of the deaths of children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan after they consumed adulterated cough syrup, drug inspection teams seized around 5,900 bottles of Rivicold cold and cough syrups worth ₹4.5 lakh over violation of norms in Visakhapatnam on Monday.
Drugs Inspector M. Srinivas Rao said the the cold and cough syrup bottles were seized during a raid on the premises of Kirbi Life Sciences, a wholesale medical agency at Marripalem, as the bottles did not carry the mandatory warning on their labels that ‘the syrup is not to be used for children below 4 years of age’.
These syrups contain a combination chlorpheniramine maleate and phenylephrine hydrochloride, manufactured by Bajaj Formulations in Haridwar of Uttarakhand.
“The labels do not carry the mandatory warning that the syrup is not to be used for children below 4 years of age. Due to this omission, there is a potential risk of the syrup being used for children,” Mr. M. Srinivas Rao said.
A case has been registered against the manufacturer under Section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, and the seized syrups will be produced before the court for further orders, he said.
Citing the deaths of children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan due to adulterated cough syrups, the Drugs Inspector warned that stringent legal action would be taken against any licensee selling prohibited combinations. “No cold or cough syrup for children should be sold without a valid prescription from a registered medical practitioner,” he said.
Drugs Inspector Abhipriya and a team of police personnel also participated in the raid.
The raid was conducted on the directions of P.S. Girisha, Director General, Drugs Control Administration, under the supervision of S. Vijaya Kumar, Assistant Director, DCA, Visakhapatnam.
Mr. Srinivasa Rao said stringent action would be taken against those selling such syrups without prescription.
