Abbott has taken “a series of actions to prevent the misuse and diversion of codeine-based Phensedyl”, the healthcare company said, responding to a report indicating that its supply chain was under “scrutiny” in an investigation on the alleged misuse of cough syrups.
Outlining steps taken by it, Abbott said, it included “setting manufacturing and supply limits, eliminating sales incentives for trade, conducting distributor and chemist education programs, performing business inspections, and supplying only through State FDA-licensed distributors.”
Against the long-standing concerns over the misuse of coughsyurps containing codeine, the American healthcare company said, “several years ago, Abbott developed and continues to market a version of Phensedyl without codeine.” “During this time, our distributors held the appropriate licenses to distribute codeine products, and Abbott had a robust process and internal control framework in place to ensure that we sold only to appropriately authorized distributors,” it added.
Diversion persisted
“Despite these many efforts, misuse and diversion persisted. That’s why after nearly 70 years on the market, Abbott ceased manufacturing and selling Phensedyl with codeine in December 2024,” it said.
Abbott acquired Phensedyl through its acquisition of Piramal’s Healthcare Solutions business in late 2010. Codeine is a government-controlled ingredient allocated and supplied annually to Abbott by Central Bureau of Narcotics, Ministry of Finance.
A Reuters report citing State Government documents and investigations in Uttar Pradesh pointed to the alleged diversion of Phensedyl bottles. “On 14th January 2026, regulators visited our Baddi manufacturing site. We fully cooperated with the inspection and provided all the information requested. The report we received following the visit indicated that the inspection was satisfactory,” Abbott said.
Pointing out that it did not “condone any misuse, including diversion, of medicines,” it said, Abbott took a responsible approach to Phensedyl production volumes which declined by half between 2012 – 2024.
Launched in the 1950s, and approved by the Drugs Controller General of India, codeine-based Phensedyl is a prescription cough syrup containing 0.2 per cent Codeine Phosphate, providing highly effective relief from dry cough associated with colds and flu, as well as serious medical conditions such as cancer and tuberculosis, the company said.
Published on January 23, 2026
