In response to the tragic deaths of about 25 infants in Madhya Pradesh linked to a toxic cough syrup, Tamil Nadu has formed special teams to continuously monitor drug manufacturers, with a focused inspections conducted at nearly 50 pharmaceutical companies.
Health Minister Ma Subramanian revealed that the inspections have already targeted 50 firms out of the state’s 397.
The move comes after reports of the deadly cough syrup manufactured by a Tamil Nadu-based company, Sresan Pharmaceuticals, being linked to the fatalities.
"Of the 397 pharmaceutical companies, inspections have been carried out in 50 firms involved in manufacturing syrups, during the last one week. Steps are being taken to conduct similar inspections in 52 companies in the coming days. Special Teams have been formed to continuously monitor the drug manufacturers in future," he said.
The Minister was responding to a special calling attention moved by AIADMK Deputy Floor Leader R B Udhayakumar, Congress MLA Aassan Maulaana, among others in the Assembly.
As per PTI, taking a dig at the Madhya Pradesh government, Subramanian said their drug department emailed the Tamil Nadu drug department on October 1, informing about the death of an infant linked to the cough syrup produced by a TN based firm, instead of communicating with his Ministry or the government.
"Nearly 25 days after the incident in Madhya Pradesh, they have sent an email on October 1. However, considering the gravity of the issue, steps were taken up," he said.
After conducting raids at the Sresan Pharmaceuticals in their factory at Sungavarchatiram near Chennai, he said the sale of the cough syrup Coldrif was banned immediately in Tamil Nadu and 'Stop Production' order was issued to the company.
Though it is the responsibility of the Madhya Pradesh government and the Union Health Ministry, the Tamil Nadu government alerted other States, including Odisha and Puducherry as the company had supplied the cough syrups to the two States.
Subsequently, Subramanian said, a notice was issued to Sresan Pharmaceuticals asking why its drug manufacturing license should not be cancelled.
"Within 48 hours of receiving the information from the Madhya Pradesh government (on October 1), these measures were taken up by the government. As the test of samples conducted by the State Drug department detected that the cough syrup contained 48.6 per cent of Diethylene Glycol (DEG), a toxic substance, the manufacturing license of Sresan Pharmaceuticals has completely been revoked." he said.
A detailed report, including the 'Stop Production' order, was sent to the Drugs Controller General of India and the Deputy Drug Controller, South Zone, he said.
Subramanian further said the government initiated criminal proceedings against the pharmaceutical company and its top management team and on October 9, a Special Investigation Team along with the Tamil Nadu police arrested 75-year-old Ranganathan, the proprietor of the company.
He noted that the regular inspections were conducted by the drug department in 2021 and 2022 at Sresan Pharmaceuticals, but lack of an inspection in 2024 led to the suspension of the senior drug inspector of Kancheepuram zone.
The Minister highlighted that the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (under the Ministry of Health) is required to undertake joint inspection with the state government every three years, but no such inspection has been carried out at Sresan Pharmaceuticals since 2011.
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