• Owner arrested after at least 21 child deaths linked to cough syrup.
• Cough syrup contained toxic diethylene glycol at nearly 500 times safe levels.
• WHO raises concerns over India’s drug safety regulations.

Indian police have arrested G. Ranganathan, the owner of Sresan Pharmaceuticals, after a cough syrup linked to the deaths of at least 21 children in Madhya Pradesh was found to contain dangerously high levels of diethylene glycol, a toxic substance. The victims, all aged under five, died over the past month after consuming the syrup known as 'Coldrif', which has been banned in several regions following investigations, according to Reuters, TRT Global, and Channel News Asia.

The Indian health ministry confirmed that tests conducted on the syrup revealed the presence of diethylene glycol at nearly 500 times the permissible limit for human consumption. This contamination has raised alarms globally, with previous incidents in which contaminated Indian syrups contributed to child fatalities in different countries. In response, many states in India have imposed bans on 'Coldrif' and additional cough syrups from other manufacturers due to similar contamination issues, according to Reuters, Channel News Asia, and BBC.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed "deep concern" regarding the gaps in India’s pharmaceutical regulations and has warned that contaminated medicines may reach other countries through unregulated distribution channels. This escalation follows an increase in harmful incidents associated with Indian-produced cough syrups, prompting calls for stricter oversight and quality control measures in the industry, as highlighted by BBC and CBS News.

In a related development, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed no shipments of the contaminated syrups were sent to the United States, assuring vigilance over the safety of imported medications. Amid rising concerns about drug safety, authorities in India have been urged to enhance their regulatory frameworks and ensure rigorous testing protocols to prevent similar incidents in the future, based on reports from CBS News and Reuters.