Cough syrup deaths: Kerala bars all medicines for children under 12 without prescription

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Health Department on Monday ordered that no medicines should be given to children under 12 without a doctor’s prescription, a move taken in the wake of concerns over certain cough syrups.

The state has also set up a three-member expert panel to study the use of cough medicines in children and asked it to submit an urgent report, Health Minister Veena George said after a high-level meeting here.

The panel includes the state drugs controller, the child health nodal officer and the state president of the Indian Academy of Paediatrics. Its findings will help formulate new guidelines on cough syrup use in children, the minister said in a statement.

Issuing a strong directive on providing medicines to children under 12 without a prescription, George said that medicines should not be dispensed even using an old prescription.

"Directions have been issued to the Drugs Controller in this regard, and awareness efforts will also be strengthened. Since medicines for children are prescribed according to their body weight, a medicine given to one child must not be given to another. Doing so could cause more harm than benefit," she said.

The statement said doctors informed the meeting that no problems related to cough syrup for children have been reported in Kerala.

It added that strong awareness campaigns will be carried out to raise public understanding and address concerns.

"Directions have been issued to specifically check if there are any related cases. Training will also be provided to paediatricians and other doctors with the cooperation of the IAP," the statement said.

Inspections are being conducted in the state under the leadership of the Drugs Control Department.

Following reports that issues were found outside Kerala in the SR-13 batch of Coldrif syrup, its sale has been suspended in the state by the Drugs Control Department. That batch of medicines had been distributed in Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, and Puducherry. In Rajasthan, problems have also been identified with a cough syrup from another company.

Fourteen children recently died in Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, from suspected renal failure linked to the consumption of a 'toxic' cough syrup.

"It has been confirmed that the sale of these problematic batches has not taken place in Kerala. Coldrif medicines are sold in Kerala through eight distributors. Their supply and sale have now been stopped," the statement said.

The meeting was attended by the Additional Chief Secretary of the Health Department, NHM State Mission Director, Drugs Controller, Director of the Health Department, Director of the Medical Education Department, Additional Directors, District Medical Officers, Child Health Nodal Officer, IAP President, and others.