NEW DELHI, Oct 13 — The local government in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu announced the complete revocation of the manufacturing licence of a pharmaceutical company responsible for producing the cough syrup that was linked to the recent child deaths in two states.
Xinhua reported that the government also ordered the company to shut down.
According to an official statement today, the manufacturing licence of Sresan Pharmaceuticals, which produced the adulterated cough syrup Coldrif, has been cancelled.
"Orders have been given to conduct a detailed inspection of other drug manufacturing companies located in Tamil Nadu," it said.
The cough syrup has been found adulterated with over 45 per cent of diethylene glycol, a toxic industrial solvent.
While 24 deaths related to the cough syrup have been confirmed in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, three have been reported in the western state of Rajasthan.
The children, mainly under the age of five, have died in the past month due to suspected renal failure after developing complications following the consumption of cough syrup.
Last week, the police arrested 75-year-old Govindan Ranganathan, the owner of Sresan Pharmaceuticals, from his Chennai residence, along with his two employees.
He faces charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, drug adulteration and violations of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.
The World Health Organisation also voiced deep concern over gaps in India's drug safety regulations, warning that such medicines could reach other countries through unregulated distribution channels.
