Toxic Cough Syrup Fallout: Gwalior Hospital Under Probe After Worms Found in Medicine

Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh: Days after the tragic deaths of 24 children linked to toxic cough syrup in Madhya Pradesh, a government hospital in Gwalior’s Morar town is under investigation following allegations of worms found in a bottle of antibiotic medicine.

A woman reportedly discovered worms inside an Azithromycin oral suspension bottle administered to her child. In response, authorities swiftly sealed the hospital’s entire antibiotic stock and dispatched samples for laboratory testing in Bhopal.

Drug Inspector Anubhuti Sharma confirmed that 306 bottles of the antibiotic — both distributed and stored — have been recalled. Preliminary inspections did not reveal visible contamination, but officials emphasized that thorough lab analysis was necessary to determine the extent of the issue.

The medicine, a generic formulation of Azithromycin, was manufactured by a Madhya Pradesh-based pharmaceutical company. Samples have also been sent to the Central Drug Laboratory in Kolkata for further verification.

This alarming incident comes amid nationwide outrage over the Chhindwara cough syrup deaths, where the consumption of adulterated Coldrif syrup allegedly caused renal failure among children. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently issued an alert against three substandard syrups — Coldrif, Respifresh TR, and ReLife — all traced back to India.

Meanwhile, a district court in Madhya Pradesh has denied bail to paediatrician Dr. Praveen Soni, who was arrested in connection with prescribing the tainted Coldrif syrup. Investigations revealed that Dr. Soni allegedly received a 10% commission from the pharmaceutical company for prescribing the drug despite knowing its adverse effects.

According to police reports, the first child death occurred on August 29, followed by another on September 5, both suffering from acute kidney failure after consuming Coldrif. Despite clear advisories from the Union Health Ministry’s Directorate General of Health Services (issued in December 2023), which barred prescribing Fixed Dose Combination (FDC) drugs to children below four years, the doctor continued the prescriptions.

The court remarked that the accusations were “serious in nature” and that granting bail could endanger the investigation. Consequently, Dr. Soni remains in judicial custody, while police continue to track the supply chain of Sersan Pharma and its distributors through a Special Investigation Team (SIT).

Following the tragedy, the Madhya Pradesh government imposed an immediate ban on Coldrif syrup and ordered a statewide recall of all stock, reaffirming its commitment to ensuring drug safety and accountability.