Drug row: Pharma firm to face criminal action, says TN minister
Drug row: Pharma firm to face criminal action, says TN minister
Tirunelveli , Tamil Nadu Government will take criminal action against a drug manufacturer, whose cough syrup has been banned in the wake of children's deaths in Madhya Pradesh, state minister Ma Subramanian said here on Wednesday.
The government has issued its second notice against the drug manufacturer for the alleged presence of diethylene glycol in the cough syrup Coldrif, asking why criminal action should not be taken, the health and family welfare minister informed.
The company has been making the cough syrup which contained 48.6 per cent of the 'poisonous substance' as per the findings of the State Drug Control department, he added.
As many as 20 children in Madhya Pradesh died while undergoing treatment for kidney failure after drinking a contaminated cough syrup, state Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla said on October 7.
On Wednesday Subramanian said the government is taking all measures to ensure the closure of the drug manufacturer.
"On October 3, the samples collected by the drug controller declared the syrups to be adulterated. We have issued stop production order to the company. We have also asked the company why it should not be shut and asked for an explanation," he said.
Maintaining that the government is expecting a response from the company for the notice it has sent, Subramanian said, "Whatever be their explanation, we will take action as per the law. The government is taking all measures to ensure the closure of the firm."
Subramanian said, on October 7, through Drug Inspector another show cause notice has been issued against the company asking why criminal action should not be taken.
"We will take criminal action against them," he said.
The factory was sealed by the district administration on Tuesday.
The company has been manufacturing the syrup for the last 14 years since obtaining license at its facility in Sunguvarchatram in neighbouring Kancheepuram district.
It has been supplying the medicines to various States, Subramanian said, adding, the government issued an advisory to Puducherry and Odisha that the cough syrup Coldrif should not be sold in the market.
Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh are some of the States that have banned the cough syrup.
The pharmaceutical company that manufactures the syrup has not issued any response so far.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
