THE Centre has issued an advisory to all States and Union Territories, directing that cough and cold medications should not be prescribed to children under the age of two years. The advisory, issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), comes amid reports of child deaths allegedly linked to contaminated cough syrups in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Meanwhile, the Union Health Ministry noted none of the tested syrup samples in Madhya Pradesh contained Diethylene Glycol (DEG) or Ethylene Glycol (EG) -- contaminants that are known to cause serious kidney injury.

 

The DGHS, which comes under the Health Ministry, said in the advisory that cough syrups are generally not recommended for children below five years. For those older, their use should be based on careful clinical evaluation, close supervision, strict adherence to appropriate dosing, the shortest effective duration, and avoiding multiple drug combinations, it said. Further, people may also be sensitised regarding adherence to prescriptions by doctors, the advisory issued by Dr Sunita Sharma of the DGHS said. It reiterated judicious and rational prescribing and dispensing of cough syrups for children. “Most acute cough illnesses in children are self-limiting and often resolve without pharmacological intervention. Non-pharmacological measures, including adequate hydration, rest, and supportive measures, should be the first-line approach,” it said.

 

The advisory asked all healthcare facilities and clinical establishments to ensure the procurement and dispensing of products manufactured under Good Manufacturing Practices and formulated with pharmaceutical-grade excipients. “Sensitisation of prescribers and dispensers across public and private sectors is essential to uphold these standards of care. It is requested that all state/UT Health Departments, District Health Authorities under your jurisdiction should implement and disseminate this advisory, PHCs, CHCs, district hospitals, and medical institutions,” the advisory said. The Health Ministry said a team comprising representatives from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), National Institute of Virology (NIV), Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) visited the site in MP to collect samples amid reports linking the recent deaths of children.