New Delhi, October 4: The Union Health Ministry has issued an advisory to all States and Union Territories on the rational use of cough syrups in children, cautioning against their indiscriminate prescription and use.
The ministry has recommended that cough and cold medications should not be prescribed or dispensed to children below two years of age. It further stated that such medicines are generally not advised for children under five, while their use in older children should be based on careful clinical evaluation, close supervision, appropriate dosing, and avoidance of multiple drug combinations.
Letters have been sent to the Directors of Health Services in all States and UTs, urging implementation of the advisory across government dispensaries, district hospitals, and medical institutions. The Health Ministry emphasized that most acute cough illnesses in children are self-limiting and often resolve without medication.
The advisory follows recent reports of child deaths in Madhya Pradesh allegedly linked to cough syrup consumption. A joint investigation team from the National Centre for Disease Control, National Institute of Virology, and Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation collected samples from the affected sites. Laboratory tests confirmed that none of the samples contained Diethylene Glycol (DEG) or Ethylene Glycol (EG), toxic chemicals known to cause kidney damage.
Similarly, the Madhya Pradesh State Food and Drug Administration tested three samples and found no presence of DEG or EG. In Rajasthan, where two child deaths were reported, the ministry clarified that the cough syrup involved did not contain Propylene Glycol, a substance that can also produce harmful contaminants like DEG or EG.
Reiterating its concern, the Health Ministry has directed State and UT Health Departments, district authorities, and clinical establishments to strictly adhere to the advisory in order to ensure child safety.
