Uttarakhand Launches Major Crackdown on Unsafe Cough Syrups, 170 Samples Sent for Testing

Over the past week, teams from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have been conducting surprise inspections in every district. The drive, officials say, is being closely monitored by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Health Minister Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat, under the supervision of Health Secretary and Commissioner Dr. R. Rajesh Kumar and Drug Controller Tajbar Singh Jaggi.

This state-wide action comes after multiple reports of child deaths in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan linked to contaminated cough syrups. “We are taking no chances when it comes to public health, particularly that of children,” a senior official said.

Dehradun Sees the Biggest Action Yet

The most significant operation so far took place in Dehradun, where FDA teams led by Drug Inspector Manendra Singh Rana carried out surprise inspections in key areas such as Chakrata Road, Kishannagar Chowk, and Premnagar.

Authorities ordered an immediate halt to the sale of certain paediatric cough and cold syrups. Medical stores found that stocking these items was sealed on the spot, and 11 syrup samples were collected for laboratory testing. Popular brands like Coldrif, Respifresh-TR, and Relife were not found during the raids, officials added.

Raids Across Multiple Districts

Similar actions were carried out in other districts. In Udham Singh Nagar, officials sent 40 samples of paediatric syrups for testing. In Haridwar and Roorkee, 15 samples were collected from hospitals, including Airan Hospital, Vinay Vishal Hospital, and Metro Hospital.
In Haldwani, drug inspectors took samples from the medical store of Soban Singh Jeena Base Hospital, while stocks of Respifresh-TR syrup were seized in Kotdwar.

In Almora, raids in Chaukhutia and Chandikhet led to the confiscation of 12 bottles of the same syrup batch that had already been declared of “non-suitable quality.” Samples were also lifted from Rudraprayag and Uttarkashi, where local vendors were warned not to sell four specific syrup brands under scrutiny.

Statewide Testing Underway

In total, 170 syrup samples have been sent to laboratories for detailed testing. Several pharmacies have received official notices, and questionable stocks have been sealed.

Officials have described the operation as one of Uttarakhand’s most comprehensive drug safety drives to date. “Our goal is simple to ensure that no unsafe medicine reaches consumers,” a senior health official emphasized.

The results from the laboratory tests are expected soon, and authorities have indicated that strong legal action will follow if any manufacturer or seller is found guilty of distributing substandard medicines.