Contaminated children’s medicine crisis resurfaces in India, toxic glycol detected

HYDERABAD: Telangana’s health authorities have issued an urgent stop‑use advisory for a popular children’s medicine after toxic ethylene glycol was detected in the product, prompting fresh alarms about drug safety in India.

The Telangana Drugs Control Administration (DCA) said it received a laboratory alert from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), East Zone, indicating that Almont‑Kid Syrup — commonly prescribed for allergy and respiratory symptoms in children — was adulterated with ethylene glycol, a highly poisonous chemical.

Officials urged parents to immediately stop using the syrup and report any possession to local drug authorities.

The DCA directed drug inspectors, distributors, wholesalers and hospitals to freeze all stock of the affected syrup batch and ensure it is neither sold nor dispensed.

The notice also stresses that the public should avoid administering the product under any circumstances and promptly inform regulators if they have it at home.

Ethylene glycol, widely used as an industrial solvent and in antifreeze products, is not approved for medicinal use due to its toxicity.

If ingested, it is rapidly absorbed and metabolised into toxic compounds that primarily affect the central nervous system, heart and kidneys, potentially leading to severe poisoning or death without prompt treatment.

Its sweet taste increases the risk that children might consume it unknowingly.

This safety alert in Telangana follows broader concerns about contaminated syrups in India that have previously caused child fatalities.

In late 2025, multiple Indian states banned the cough medicine Coldrif after tests revealed it contained diethylene glycol — another industrial solvent related to ethylene glycol — at levels far exceeding permissible limits, which was linked to dozens of child deaths from acute kidney failure.

Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala were among the states that halted its sale and initiated probes.

At this stage, state regulators are reviewing how the contaminated batch entered the supply chain and whether further action against the manufacturer is warranted.

Parents and caregivers are being advised to consult healthcare professionals if their children show any unusual symptoms after taking medicines and to stay current with official drug safety notifications.