Mumbai: In a decisive move to prevent a recurrence of infant deaths caused by contaminated cough syrups, the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) under the Union Health Ministry has launched a nationwide initiative to strengthen drug quality surveillance and testing.
The drive, set to begin in November, will train scientists and analysts from public drug testing laboratories in 10 states, including Maharashtra, to detect toxic chemicals in cough syrups and other liquid formulations.
Triggered By Infant Deaths Due To Contaminated Syrups
The initiative follows several tragic incidents reported last month from Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and other states, where newborns and infants died after consuming cough syrups adulterated with ethylene glycol (EG) and diethylene glycol (DEG)—highly poisonous industrial chemicals that can cause acute kidney failure and death even at minimal concentrations.
The recurring pattern of such incidents, both in India and abroad, has raised alarm over gaps in quality control, raw material testing, and regulatory enforcement within the pharmaceutical supply chain.
Training Focused On Advanced Chemical Detection
Under the new initiative, the IPC will conduct hands-on training sessions focusing on Gas Chromatography (GC)—a sophisticated analytical technique used globally to detect EG and DEG contamination in pharmaceuticals.
Each participating state laboratory will nominate two officials for the first phase of training, which will be conducted in Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Telangana, and Maharashtra, among others. The second phase will expand to cover additional states and Union Territories, ensuring a uniform national standard for chemical detection and drug safety.
Free Toolkit For Pharma Stakeholders
Alongside training, IPC has developed a comprehensive free toolkit for stakeholders across the pharmaceutical ecosystem. The toolkit contains pharmacopoeial standards, regulatory resources, and international testing guidelines, aimed at helping raw material suppliers, manufacturers, quality control units, and regulators detect toxic adulteration at the source.
“The goal is to build permanent capacity and not just respond to crises. Every preventable death reflects a failure of systems that must be corrected,” an IPC official said.
CDSCO Drug Alert Reinforces Urgency
The urgency of this initiative is reinforced by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO)’s latest September Drug Alert Report, which declared certain batches of one cough syrup and 112 other drugs as substandard. The CDSCO said the step is part of a larger effort to curb the spread of spurious or poor-quality medicines and to restore public confidence in India’s pharmaceutical quality standards.
Also Watch:
Experts Call It A Turning Point In Drug Safety
Experts believe this initiative marks a turning point in India’s drug regulation system, ensuring safer medicines for every household and preventing future tragedies that have stained the reputation of India’s pharmaceutical sector globally.
To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/
