Contaminated Indian cough syrups: Is Sri Lanka at risk ?

WHO says these syrups pose serious health risks 

the affected products, Coldrif (manufactured by Sresan Pharmaceutical), Respifresh TR (Rednex Pharmaceuticals), and ReLife (Shape Pharma), were found to contain harmful substances

Concerns over the quality of medicines imported from India are not new in Sri Lanka

NMRA assures that none of these products are registered or imported for sale in Sri Lanka 

India remains a major supplier of pharmaceuticals to the region

By Sheain Fernandopulle  

Deadly cough syrups recently linked to child deaths in India have set off alarm bells across the region, with Sri Lankan authorities on alert to keep unsafe medicines out of local markets.  

Despite authorities keeping a close watch, there have been instances of substandard or poorly manufactured drugs entering the local market from India under emergency purchases, particularly during the tenure of former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella. It’s in this context that local health authorities continue to monitor the situation closely.  

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said these syrups pose serious health risks and have been linked to the deaths of several children under the age of five in India’s Madhya Pradesh state.  

However, a top source at the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) confirmed to the Daily Mirror that the three cough syrups in question, as well as the companies manufacturing them, are not registered in Sri Lanka.  

According to India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), the affected products, Coldrif (manufactured by Sresan Pharmaceutical), Respifresh TR (Rednex Pharmaceuticals), and ReLife (Shape Pharma), were found to contain harmful substances that could cause severe or potentially life-threatening illnesses, particularly in children.  

“We have verified that the named products are not on the NMRA-approved drug list. Therefore, there is no possibility of these syrups being legitimately available in the local market,” an NMRA spokesperson said.  

Concerns over the quality of medicines imported from India are not new in Sri Lanka. Two classic examples are where two patients died in 2023 after being given Indian-made anaesthetic drugs, while Indian-made eye medication caused visual impairment in 10 patients.  

While India remains a major supplier of pharmaceuticals to the region, gaps in quality control and oversight in some batches have occasionally resulted in serious health risks.