India, Oct. 2 -- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in Pune has launched a special inspection drive to check the quality of cough syrups available in the market. This move follows media reports of child deaths and illnesses in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan linked to allegedly contaminated cough syrup.

The decision was made proactively to prevent similar incidents in Pune and the surrounding districts. Under the initiative, the FDA will collect samples of cough syrups from manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, and retailers, which will then be sent to government-approved laboratories for testing.

Six children in Madhya Pradesh died from kidney failure after consuming cough syrup suspected to be contaminated with diethylene glycol....