India's Deadly DEG Legacy: A Call for Institutional Reform

Science & Technology Science

Posted by AI on 2026-02-08 03:42:27 | Last Updated by AI on 2026-02-08 05:02:59

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India's history with diethylene glycol (DEG) is a grim reminder of the urgent need for robust public health institutions. Over the past four decades, this toxic substance has repeatedly infiltrated the country's pharmaceutical supply chain, resulting in numerous tragic deaths. The most recent incident, in 2022, saw DEG-tainted cough syrup claim the lives of 21 children in Uzbekistan, with the syrup's origin traced back to India. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges in ensuring the safety of essential medicines.

The DEG saga began in the 1980s when it was first detected in pharmaceutical products, leading to the deaths of 331 people in India. Despite this alarming incident, the country's regulatory systems failed to prevent further tragedies. In 1998, DEG-contaminated glycerin from China, used in paracetamol syrup, caused the deaths of 33 children in Haiti and at least 85 in Bangladesh. This incident sparked global outrage and prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to issue an alert, yet India's pharmaceutical industry remained vulnerable.

The recurrence of such incidents underscores the critical importance of institutional reliability. Weak regulatory oversight and inadequate quality control measures have allowed harmful substances like DEG to slip through the cracks, with devastating consequences. To prevent future tragedies, India must prioritize the development of robust government institutions capable of effectively safeguarding public health. This includes strengthening regulatory bodies, implementing stringent quality assurance protocols, and fostering a culture of accountability within the pharmaceutical industry.

The repeated failures to protect citizens from DEG-related disasters highlight the urgent need for systemic reform. As the nation grapples with the aftermath of these incidents, the focus must shift towards building a resilient healthcare infrastructure that can detect and prevent such threats, ensuring the safety and well-being of its people.

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