India Restricts Cough Syrup Sales to Pharmacies After Child Death Cases

India has tightened regulations on cough syrup sales, limiting their distribution to licensed pharmacies and ending over-the-counter sales through small retail outlets, particularly in rural areas. The move follows a series of contamination-related incidents that have been linked to the deaths of children in India and abroad.

Under the revised rules, cough syrups have been removed from a list of medicines that could previously be sold by vendors holding restricted retail licences in villages with limited access to pharmacies. Health authorities say the change is intended to ensure that these medicines are dispensed only through authorized pharmaceutical outlets and under stricter regulatory oversight.

The decision comes amid increased scrutiny of India’s pharmaceutical sector after India-made cough syrups were linked to more than 140 child deaths across Africa and Central Asia since 2022. Regulators have stepped up inspections of manufacturers, while medical experts have welcomed the move, saying it could help reduce self-medication and improve patient safety.