Daily News Analysis ‘Cough syrup was adulterated with ‘Diethylene Glycol’ (DEG), says Madhya Pradesh FDA’ : 6 October

Background:

• The deaths of 14 children in Chhindwara district of M.P. occurred after several children consumed Coldrif syrup.
• A laboratory report from the Madhya Pradesh Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) found the syrup adulterated with 46.28% Diethylene Glycol (DEG) ,  a highly toxic industrial chemical.

About Diethylene Glycol (DEG):

• Chemical Formula: C₄H₁₀O₃
• Use: Normally used in industrial products such as antifreeze, brake fluids, and paint solvents, not in medicines.
• Toxicity: DEG is poisonous to humans and can cause acute kidney failure, liver damage, neurological complications, and death even in small amounts.
• Past Incidents: Similar DEG-related mass poisoning incidents have been reported in The Gambia (2022), Uzbekistan (2022), and India (Delhi 1998, Jammu 2020), leading to multiple child deaths due to contaminated syrups

Why in News?

•  A government doctor in Madhya Pradesh has been arrested for prescribing a banned cough syrup, Coldrif, that has caused the deaths of 14 children in Chhindwara district.