Kerala bans Tamil Nadu-based Sresan Pharmaceuticals' medicines
text_fields
Representational.
Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government on Tuesday banned the distribution of medicines manufactured by Tamil Nadu-based Sresan Pharmaceuticals, PTI reported.
The decision follows steps by the Tamil Nadu Drugs Controller to cancel the company's licence, state Health Minister Veena George said.
Sales of Respifresh TR, manufactured by a Gujarat-based firm, were also stopped immediately after the drug was found to be substandard, the minister said in a statement.
“There are five distributors in the state supplying this medicine, and they have been instructed to stop distribution,” George said.
“Strict action will be taken against those selling this medicine. Those in possession of this drug are requested not to use it. These medicines are not distributed through government hospitals.”
She added that “strict action would be initiated against establishments that provide medicines to children under the age of 12 without a prescription from an authorised doctor.”
The ban comes after reports that 14 children in Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, died recently from suspected renal failure linked to the consumption of a ‘toxic' cough syrup.
Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Saturday said the state Drugs Control department has suspended the sale of Coldrif cough syrup. The decision follows reports from other states that flagged issues with one of the batches of the Coldrif syrup, she said. A preliminary inquiry by the State Drugs Control Department revealed that the flagged batch of the drug was not sold in Kerala, the minister clarified in a statement.
"However, the Drugs Controller, out of concern for safety, has instructed drug inspectors to completely stop the distribution and sale of Coldrif," she said.