Ludhiana: Health dept begins cough syrup testing for diethylene glycol

Health officials collected about 10 samples from various areas including Pindi Street, Dugri, Khanna and Jagraon, and on Thursday, three more samples were seized from a manufacturing unit in Ludhiana

Following the deaths of around 22 children in Madhya Pradesh after consuming contaminated cough syrup, the Ludhiana health department has launched precautionary testing of cough syrups sold locally to check for the presence of diethylene glycol, a harmful chemical that can cause kidney failure.

The samples will be sent to the government analytical lab in Kharar for testing, with results expected in about three weeks. (HT Photo)

On Wednesday, health officials collected about 10 samples from various areas including Pindi Street, Dugri, Khanna and Jagraon, and on Thursday, three more samples were seized from a manufacturing unit in Ludhiana.

These samples will be sent to the government analytical lab in Kharar for testing, with results expected in about three weeks.

Dinesh Gupta, zonal licensing authority (ZLA) for drugs control, explained that polyethylene glycol — a common sweetener and solvent used in cough syrups — can contain traces of diethylene glycol during production. “Around 0.1 per cent of diethylene glycol is permitted in cough syrups. Anything above this level is unsafe for human consumption,” he said.

Gupta noted that poor-quality polyethylene glycol contains higher amounts of this chemical, which can severely affect the kidneys and may lead to kidney failure. “If elevated levels are found, we will initiate legal proceedings against the manufacturers,” he added.