Srinagar, Oct 06 (KNO): Doctors on Monday said all medicines, including cough syrups, are safe for use when taken in appropriate doses under medical supervision, but warned of the risk of self-medication and unregulated sale of drugs.
They said lessons must be remembered in light of past tragedies like the 2020 Udhampur cough syrup incident and recent deaths of children linked to contaminated medicines in Madhya Pradesh and other States.
Speaking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), doctors said that while there is no need for public panic, strict vigilance and adherence to medical protocols are essential to prevent any recurrence of such incidents.
“Medicines are life-saving when used correctly, but can turn fatal if consumed inappropriately,” said Dr Showkat Hussain Tali, Head of Department, Paediatrics, at GMC Anantnag. "Cough syrups are not inherently unsafe. The problem arises when they are taken without medical guidance or contain impurities due to poor manufacturing standards.”
Dr Showkat said pharmacists and medical shop owners must never prescribe medicines on their own, and people should strictly avoid self-medication. “No one should dictate what a doctor should or should not prescribe, but at the same time, every doctor must be able to justify his prescription with scientific reasoning and evidence,” he added.
Referring to the 2020 Udhampur tragedy, where several children died after consuming a locally manufactured cough syrup found to contain toxic chemicals, doctors said that similar incidents in recent weeks, including the deaths of over a dozen children in Madhya Pradesh and Haryana, highlight the need for constant surveillance over drug quality.
These incidents happened not because of the syrups themselves, but due to impurities and lapses in manufacturing and regulatory checks, they said.
Officials from both the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir (DHSK) and Jammu said the administration has already directed all medical practitioners to strictly adhere to the guidelines issued by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, which recently advised against giving cough syrups to children under two years of age.
“Any deviation from these instructions will invite disciplinary action,” said a senior health official. “We have intensified monitoring of drug quality, and random samples are being collected from across districts to ensure there are no toxic impurities.”
The official said no deaths due to toxic drugs have been reported in Jammu and Kashmir in recent years, but assured that both directorates remain alert. “Medicines must come through approved and verified supply chains only. Even if a medicine is slightly costlier, people should prefer verified brands over cheaper, unregulated alternatives,” he advised.
Health experts have called upon regulatory authorities to maintain strict checks on pharmaceutical companies and ensure that every batch of medicine meets safety standards before reaching the market.
“There must be vigilance, both from the regulatory side and the public," said another paediatrician. "Parents must consult qualified doctors, and authorities must ensure that every drug sold is pure, safe, and effective."—(KNO)