In a letter dated October 8th, IMA National President Dr. Dilip Bhanushali stated that holding the pediatrician liable is an act of ‘legal illiteracy’ and sends a negative message to the medical community. The IMA stressed that doctors prescribe medications in good faith, relying on official approvals and the integrity of the supply chain. They lack the capacity to detect hidden manufacturing defects or toxic contaminants like Diethylene Glycol or Ethylene Glycol.

The IMA argued that criminalizing a prescription made in good faith unfairly victimizes professionals and could lead to defensive medicine, potentially harming patients by making doctors reluctant to prescribe affordable generic drugs. The association also highlighted that the arrest did not follow the Supreme Court’s laid-down procedures for arresting medical practitioners.

To prevent future tragedies, the IMA proposed five systemic reforms: strengthening regulatory manpower and infrastructure, mandating contaminant testing, establishing a robust drug recall policy, enhancing pharmacovigilance, and implementing risk-based inspections. The IMA is ready to collaborate with the Ministry to implement these crucial changes to ensure patient safety and a credible regulatory system.

This syrup is manufactured by Shreeson Pharma Private Limited, located in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu. According to the report of the Tamil Nadu Drug Control Department, the sample of batch number SR-13 contained 48.6 percent DEG, which can cause kidney failure and death. Most deaths were recorded in the Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh, where children were given this syrup as cough medicine. The Union Health Ministry has initiated inspections of 19 drug units across six states.

The Chhattisgarh Health Department has clarified that no medicine from Shreeson Pharma is supplied in the state. Nevertheless, to prevent confusion and rumors, a complete ban on Coldrif syrup will also be imposed here. The department is keeping a close watch on the markets and has instructed drug vendors to immediately stop selling all products of the company.

Local drug trader Ashwani Vig confirmed that there is no supply chain or warehouse of Coldrif in Chhattisgarh. Despite this, after the incidents in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, the images of the syrup went viral on social media, causing panic in the state. People have started checking before buying the medicine. The Health Department has appealed to parents not to give any cough syrup to children without medical advice and to immediately report any suspicious drugs.