It’s hard to stomach the latest news—twentysix children dead across Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, because of cough syrup poisoning. The culprit: Coldrif, a syrup made by Sresan Pharmaceuticals, tested to have 48.6% diethylene glycol (DEG)—a poison when ingested—nearly 500 times the legally allowed limit. The state banned the syrup, froze stocks, and seized existing bottles. CDSCO has called for inspections, alerted states, ordered raw and finished medicines to be tested, and sought explanations for how this could happen.

The government has also blamed state drug authorities (for example, Tamil Nadu’s) for lapses. Investigations revealed serious violations at the Sresan factory: nonpharmagrade chemicals, rusted equipment, missing quality assurance, and poor operating procedures.

But this

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