Goa, Oct. 11 -- The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed on Friday that the toxic cough syrups linked to the deaths of children in India have not been distributed in the United States.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has highlighted a "regulatory gap" in India when it comes to screening locally sold syrup medicines, raising concerns about safety standards.

Indian authorities recently advised the public to avoid two additional brands of cough syrup after 17 children under the age of five died last month. Officials confirmed the deaths were linked to the Coldrif brand, which contained diethylene glycol at levels nearly 500 times above the permissible limit. The brand was subsequently banned on October 2 following laboratory...