A recurring public health crisis has emerged in India, where contaminated cough syrups containing toxic industrial chemicals have killed over 20 children—part of a decades-long global pattern of similar tragedies. A new WHO–UNODC investigation links these poisonings to systemic corruption, lax regulation, and intentional cost-cutting in the global pharmaceutical supply chain, warning that without stronger oversight, such deaths will continue worldwide. Originally published at NPR.

Saifuddin Ahmed is quoted.