Cough syrup deaths: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has asked Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda to intervene and withdraw the police case against a paediatrician arrested after the deaths of 20 children in Madhya Pradesh, allegedly linked to a contaminated cough syrup.
In a letter dated October 8, IMA national president Dr Dilip Bhanushali said the episode reflects a “systemic collapse” in manufacturing quality control and regulatory oversight, arguing that legal liability for an adulterated medicine rests with the manufacturer and enforcement agencies, not the prescribing doctor. The association called the arrest a case of “legal illiteracy” that ignores Supreme Court guidance on the procedure for detaining doctors and risks spreading fear across the medical fraternity.
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The IMA emphasised that physicians prescribe approved drugs from certified supply chains and are unable to detect hidden contaminants, such as diethylene glycol (DEG) or ethylene glycol (EG). “Criminalising a prescription made in good faith shifts accountability outside clinical practice,” the letter said, urging the government to treat the arrested paediatrician as a secondary victim and close all proceedings.
Alongside its appeal, the IMA proposed a five-point reform plan: bolster regulatory manpower and infrastructure; mandatory contaminant testing; a robust national recall policy; stronger pharmacovigilance and reporting; and risk-based inspections and licence audits.
The health crisis intensified this week as Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla confirmed the death toll had risen to 20, with five children still in critical care in Nagpur. Officials have linked the cases, primarily from Chhindwara, to the cough syrup Coldrif, alleged to be toxic and associated with suspected kidney failure.
Amid the investigation, the state government has suspended two drug inspectors and a deputy director of the Food and Drugs Administration, and transferred the state drug controller. Dr Praveen Soni of Chhindwara has been arrested for alleged negligence. At the same time, police have registered a case against the Tamil Nadu–based manufacturer of Coldrif and formed a Special Investigation Team to probe the deaths.
The Centre has not yet responded publicly to the IMA’s demand to drop the case against the doctor.
