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DEG contamination
What it is
Diethylene glycol is a cheap industrial solvent chemically similar to pharmaceutical-grade propylene glycol, the standard base in liquid medicines. Substituted or mixed in, it causes acute kidney injury and death, especially in children; the pharmacopeial limit is 0.1%
In the 2025 Indian episode a Coldrif batch from Sresan Pharmaceuticals tested at ~48% DEG and at least 22-24 children died
Impact on industries
- Consequences are existential, not reputational - Sresan's licence was revoked, the plant sealed and the owner arrested, with a manslaughter case opened
- The failure sits in the input chain: the solvent came via an unlicensed distributor that repackaged it unsealed, exposing weak vendor qualification
- Repeat exposure - Indian syrups have been linked to 141+ deaths in Gambia, Uzbekistan and Cameroon since 2022, damaging export credibility sector-wide
- Mandatory testing of every glycol consignment and licensed-supplier rules favour manufacturers already running qualified vendor systems
Industries affected
Pharmaceuticals-Small-Regular-Traded
Pharmaceuticals-Small-Trade-to-Trade & SME Shells
Pharmaceuticals-Formulations-Large (Large-Cap)
Pharmaceuticals-Formulations-Medium (Mid-Cap)
Speciality Chem-Fine Chemicals, Intermediates & CSM-Large (Large-Cap)
Speciality Chem-Fine Chemicals, Intermediates & CSM-Mid & Small
Trading-Industrial & Consumer Products