Himachal's Nexa DS cough syrup cleared in tests after MP deaths; production ban lifted

Shimla, Oct 6 (PTI) The Nexa DS cough syrup manufactured in Himachal Pradesh's Baddi area has cleared testing, officials said on Monday.

Samples of the medicine were sent for testing after the death of 14 children from suspected renal failure linked to the consumption of a "toxic" cough syrup in Madhya Pradesh.

Officials said samples of Nexa DS cough syrup, manufactured by Aquanova Pharma in Baddi, passed the tests. The Himachal Pradesh health department, which had halted its production as a precaution, has now lifted the ban and allowed shipments to Madhya Pradesh to resume.

Meanwhile, samples of Coldrif cough syrup from Tamil Nadu were found to be substandard, leading to a ban on its sale. The syrup is not manufactured in Himachal Pradesh.

The Madhya Pradesh government had written to the Himachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu governments and their respective drug controllers to investigate the quality of Nexa DS and Coldrif syrups.

The investigation conducted by the Madhya Pradesh Drug Department found Nexa DS to be safe, officials added. PTI BPL OZ OZ