Received 10% commission, admits doctor arrested over cough syrup deaths; denied bail

Coldrif cough syrup deaths: The doctor arrested over the cough syrup deaths admitted to receiving 10 per cent commission, as per the police. A district court in Madhya Pradesh then denied bail to paediatrician Dr Praveen Soni, who was arrested for prescribing Coldrif cough syrup. The police told the court that Dr Soni admitted to receiving a 10 per cent commission from the pharmaceutical company.

The case has drawn attention due to child fatalities and allegations of continued prescription of the syrup despite observed adverse effects. Police said Dr Soni and other doctors kept prescribing Coldrif even after children showed symptoms such as severe urine retention and kidney-related complications.

At least seven children have died after being prescribed Coldrif, while six others are undergoing treatment for kidney failure at a Nagpur hospital. The investigation revealed Dr Soni prescribed the medicine to several children below the age of five between August 24 and October 4, despite knowing it was not recommended for such young patients.

Police records show the first death of a child was reported on August 29, when a four-year-old died after being given Coldrif for a cough. Another child, a three-year-old girl, died on September 5 with similar symptoms, developing acute kidney failure. The court, in its order dated October 8, referred to the Union Health Ministry’s 2023 guidelines, which warned that Fixed Dose Combination (FDC) medicines like Coldrif must not be prescribed to children below four years.

Despite these directions, Dr Soni continued prescribing the syrup, which the court termed serious and deeply concerning.

The judge found prima facie evidence of negligence and ethical violations. The court rejected the bail plea, citing the gravity of the charges and the number of child fatalities. Police registered an FIR on October 4 after laboratory tests confirmed the presence of ethylene glycol, a toxic chemical, in samples of the Coldrif syrup. Investigators said the substance was likely responsible for the kidney failure cases and deaths.

Dr Soni’s counsel argued that Coldrif had been used for over 15 years to treat cough and cold symptoms, and that the doctor could not be held responsible for the formulation or quality of the drug. The defence said Soni prescribed the syrup in good faith, unaware that it contained toxic substances. Police are expanding their probe to track the supply chain, company officials, and doctors allegedly involved in promoting the drug for financial incentives. The Madhya Pradesh government has already banned the sale and use of Coldrif across the state as part of a wider crackdown on unregulated paediatric medicines.