Pune, Mar 16: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has launched a crackdown on the illegal sale of cough syrups without a doctor’s prescription in Pune, issuing show-cause notices to at least 60 medical stores over the past four days for violating drug sale regulations.
Officials said the drive was intensified following reports of 20 children’s deaths in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan allegedly linked to the consumption of Coldrife Cough Syrup, after which the product was banned. Although the syrup was not supplied in Maharashtra, authorities reiterated that chemists must sell cough syrups only against a valid doctor’s prescription.
Girish Hukare, Joint Commissioner (Drugs), FDA Pune, said the chemists served with notices have been asked to respond before further action is taken. “The chemists who were issued show-cause notices have been directed to submit their responses, after which hearings will be conducted as per procedure,” he said.
Hukare added that the department verifies violations by sending dummy customers to medical shops. “We confirm illegal sale by sending a dummy customer before initiating further action,” he said.
Officials warned that violators could face suspension or permanent cancellation of licences depending on the severity of the offence.
Members of the Pune District Chemist Association said they had circulated guidelines to all chemists, urging them to strictly comply with prescription rules. However, the association also called on authorities to take action against online platforms allegedly selling medicines without prescriptions.
Association vice-president Vivek Tapkir claimed he was able to order cough syrup online without a doctor’s prescription. “I ordered medicines and cough syrup online and it was delivered without a doctor’s prescription,” he said.
At the state level, Narhari Zirwal, Maharashtra’s FDA Minister, informed the Assembly that inspections were conducted at 5,001 medical stores between April 2025 and January 2026. During the drive, 1,696 licences were suspended and 301 medical store licences were permanently cancelled for violations.
The crackdown was also prompted by concerns raised in the Assembly over fake cough syrups and misuse of medicines.
In a separate case, police registered a case against three individuals for allegedly supplying fake medicines to a government hospital in Nanded.
Authorities said 265 drug samples have been tested in state laboratories for toxic substances such as Diethylene Glycol and Ethylene Glycol, often linked to contaminated cough syrups. No traces of these chemicals have been detected so far.
Meanwhile, Anil Belkar, secretary of the chemists’ association, said responsibility for substandard medicines should lie with manufacturers and regulators. “If substandard medicines enter the market due to negligence of a pharmaceutical company, the accountability should rest with the manufacturer and regulatory authorities, not the chemist,” he said
