New Delhi [India], October 9 : The World Health Organisation (WHO) is closely monitoring the health situation in India amid clusters of pediatric illnesses and deaths in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, according to a statement.
According to the statement by the WHO, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation of India (CDSCO) stated that none of the contaminated cough syrups, which led to the deaths of 20 children, were exported.
Expressing condolences to the families of the deceased, WHO said, "These reports, which have emerged during the week of 29 September, describe symptoms consistent with acute renal failure and acute encephalitis syndrome, with suspected links to the use of oral syrup medicines. WHO is deeply saddened by the reported fatalities and extends its sincere condolences to the affected families and communities."
WHO communicated that it stood ready to support national authorities in investigating and responding to these tragic events, the statement added.
On October 8, the WHO received confirmation from the CDSCO that Diethylene Glycol (DEG) had been detected in at least three oral syrup medicines. These medicines were among those consumed by children in the reported cluster of cases.
CDSCO have identified the contaminated products as Coldrif, Respifresh TR and ReLife, with 48.6 per cent DEG, 1.342 per cent DEG, and 0.616 per cent DEG, respectively.
CDSCO informed WHO that the above products have been recalled and that the identified manufacturers have been ordered to stop production of all medical products. CDSCO also stated that none of the products were exported from India.
WHO has not received any official information as to the source of the DEG contamination or if contaminated pharmaceutical material has been identified, the statement said.
In the statement, WHO expressed deep concern over the developments and emphasised the potential risk of contaminated products being exported to other countries, particularly via unregulated channels.
It flagged the regulatory gap in DEG/EG screening for domestically marketed medicines in India, and sought to identify the source of the contamination and identify and remove any contaminated pharmaceutical material that may be in circulation.
WHO stands ready to support national authorities in investigating and responding to these tragic events. It remains committed to supporting India in safeguarding public health and ensuring the safety of medical products, the statement added.
Diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol (EG) are toxic substances used as industrial solvents and antifreeze agents that can be fatal even when taken in small amounts, especially for children.
This comes after 20 children died by consuming the Coldrif cough syrup, manufactured by a Tamil Nadu-based pharmaceuticals company. Of these 20 children, 17 are from Chhindwara district, two from Betul district, and one is from Pandhurna district.
According to the WHO, since 2002, multiple outbreaks of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol contamination in oral syrup medicines have occurred across several countries, claiming many lives and severely affecting countless patients, most of whom were children.
Since October 2022, the UN's agency has issued seven Medical Product Alerts concerning multiple batches of contaminated liquid oral medicines, many of which were marketed for paediatric use and exported widely to LMIC. It also issued two alerts concerning falsified bulk chemicals masquerading as pharmaceutical-quality excipients.
Additionally, through the South-East Asia Regulatory Network, ongoing discussions are taking place with the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC), which has offered to support regional capacity building for EG/DEG testing.
In July 2025, the WHO and UNODC released a report on contaminated medicines, highlighting the ongoing public health crisis caused by the contamination of medicines with industrial-grade toxic chemicals, notably DEG/EG, the statement said.