Cough Syrup Deaths: Following the cough syrup tragedies in Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, and Puducherry, the state of Karnataka has taken strict precautions, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said on Monday, and samples from several pharmaceutical companies have been sent for testing. Speaking to the media in Chennarayapatna, Hassan, on Monday, the minister clarified that substandard cough syrups have not been supplied to Karnataka.
Deadly Cough Syrup: Many children died after drinking cough syrup
Minister Rao said, “As a precautionary measure, samples of cough syrups from all companies are being collected and sent for testing. The department has taken proactive steps to test cough syrups in the state.” He added, “The Drug Control Department has been vigilant from the beginning and is testing a large number of medicines, and Karnataka is one of the leading states in this effort. We will get the results in two to three days.”
Cough Syrup News: State government alert in cough syrup case
“In the entire country, Karnataka has the highest number of samples collected and sent for testing. We are at the forefront in this regard. I wrote to the central government urging transparency in drug matters. We need to share information between states. Because manufacturers may be operating from a different region and distributing it to other parts of the country. If it is discovered in Karnataka that samples of a particular drug are unsafe, this information should be made known to all states in the country,” Minister Rao said.
Cough Syrup Deaths: What instructions did the state government give?
The state health department has issued guidelines to officials regarding the use of cough syrups. Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said, “Samples of all cough syrups from various companies are being collected and tested.” The cough syrups that have caused the deaths of children in other states have not been supplied to Karnataka. The health minister clarified, “No such incident has occurred here.” He further said that the incidents in Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, and Puducherry were due to the negligence of pharmaceutical manufacturing units.
Cough Syrup Deaths
These cough syrups use banned substances, and their dosages are high. Parents should exercise extreme caution when giving any cough syrup to children under 5 years of age. The minister advised limiting cough syrup consumption. Previously, a letter was sent to the central government regarding drug adulteration and counterfeiting and their testing.
The health minister urged the centre to immediately create a dedicated website so that information on drug adulteration cases can be shared promptly across the country. He emphasised the need for strict enforcement of laws to prevent drug adulteration, and the Centre should establish a mechanism for effective information sharing among the states.
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