Contaminated Almond Kit Syrup Sparks Safety Concern

The Tamil Nadu Directorate of Drug Control recently issued a public notice warning against a specific batch of Almond Kit syrup. Laboratory tests found that this syrup was adulterated with ethylene glycol, a dangerous chemical. This discovery came during routine checks by the authorities.

This incident is particularly worrying because it comes just five months after more than 20 children died in Madhya Pradesh last year due to contaminated cough syrups. Such cases show that adulterated medicines continue to be a serious problem in India, putting patients’ lives at risk. They also highlight the public’s lack of trust in government agencies, which are supposed to ensure the safety of medicines.

Interestingly, the chemical involved—Di-Ethylene Glycol (DEG)—has a historical significance in global drug safety. The United States’ Food and Drug Administration (FDA), one of the world’s most respected drug regulators, rose to prominence after a tragedy caused by this same chemical. DEG contamination has repeatedly been linked to deaths, showing the urgent need for strict safety measures in pharmaceuticals.

Experts warn that India still faces a long and difficult battle against adulterated medicines, and stricter regulation, better surveillance, and public awareness are essential to prevent avoidable deaths in the future.