Chandigarh, October 15, 2025: The Punjab government on Wednesday banned eight medicines, including the widely used Coldrife cough syrup, after reports linked the syrup to the deaths of at least 14 children in Madhya Pradesh.
Officials said the decision was taken as an “immediate preventive measure” to safeguard public health, with strict orders issued to suspend their sale and distribution across the state.
Health Minister Balbir Singh said the government had acted “without delay” following repeated complaints about adverse reactions in patients.
“No compromise will be made on the health and safety of citizens,” he said, adding that the government viewed every life as “precious and non-negotiable.”
Besides Coldrife, the banned drugs include Normal Saline, Dextrose Injection, Ciprofloxacin Injection, DNS 0.9%, N/2 Plus Dextrose IV Fluid, and Bupivacaine HCL with Dextrose. All government hospitals, primary health centres, and private clinics have been directed to stop using or prescribing these medicines immediately.
The Health Department has also ordered medical stores to return existing stock and warned of action against any retailer found selling the banned products.
The move affects medicines produced by three pharmaceutical companies, which have been issued notices for alleged quality lapses.
District Medical Officers and Chief Medical Officers have been told to report any cases of adverse reactions linked to the banned medicines to an expert committee formed to investigate and suggest treatment protocols. “We have intensified our quality control and testing system to ensure such incidents never recur,” a senior Health Department official said.
To prevent further risk, the government has launched a public awareness drive urging citizens not to use the listed medicines and to consult doctors before taking any unverified drugs. A 24-hour helpline has been set up for complaints or medical assistance.
“This is a zero-tolerance policy toward negligence in the health sector,” the official added.
“The government’s message is clear — no medicine endangering public health will be allowed to stay in circulation.”
