Regulators Intensify Nationwide Crackdown on Toxic Paediatric Medicines

Indian drug regulators have stepped up coordinated action to protect children after nationwide testing detected dangerous industrial solvents in paediatric liquid medicines. Authorities are focusing on diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol (EG), following lab reports flagging life-threatening contamination in commonly used syrups.

A key trigger was a January 6, 2026 alert from CDSCO’s East Zone, which flagged Almont-Kid syrup (Batch AL-24002) as Not of Standard Quality. Tests by the Central Drugs Laboratory, Kolkata, found ethylene glycol at nearly 15 times the permissible limit, along with severe potency failures and visible undissolved particles, raising serious safety concerns.

In response, Telangana issued a public stop-use notice and ordered stock seizures, while Haryana directed an immediate halt to sale and distribution of the batch. Regulators have also highlighted stringent surveillance, noting that some products failed quality parameters without toxic solvents.

The intensified inspections signal zero tolerance for contamination, aiming to safeguard public health and enforce strict accountability under drug laws.

13-01-2026