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Haryana: Barely weeks after the ColdRif - linked child deaths in Madhya Pradesh shocked the nation, Haryana has issued a public health alert over another cough syrup formulation in which diethylene glycol (DEG) impurity was detected above permissible limits.Health Minister Arti Singh Rao said on Saturday that the cough syrup formulation -- "Planokuf D" syrup containing cetirizine hydrochloride, phenylephrine hydrochloride and dextromethorphan hydrobromide, and manufactured by Shreya Lifesciences Private Limited -- has been found to contain DEG impurity beyond permissible limits.The warning came after the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), Haryana received an official communication from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation's (CDSCO) sub-zonal office in Guwahati.The affected batch, bearing number R25053101, was manufactured in February and is set to expire in January 2027. The product has been declared adulterated and Not of Standard Quality (NSQ), the statement said.The minister said the FDA has directed all senior drugs control officers (SDCOs) and drugs control officers (DCOs) across Haryana to maintain a strict vigil on the movement of the said drug in the market.Officers have been instructed to draw samples, seize any remaining stock and initiate strict action wherever the product is found.The State Drugs Controller has ordered an immediate ban on the sale, distribution, prescription and use of the above-mentioned batch of the product throughout Haryana.Retailers, wholesalers, distributors, hospitals and medical practitioners have been strictly advised not to sell, stock, prescribe or administer the affected batch under any circumstances.DEG is a toxic chemical known to cause serious health complications, including acute poisoning, kidney failure, neurological disorders and even death, particularly among children. Rao has urged the public to remain vigilant and report any availability of the affected batch in the market to the nearest drugs control officer.Read also: Infant death in MP sparks Ayush action: Drugs seized, samples sent for testing
