Rajasthan suspends drug controller after children die from cough syrup

Following the deaths of two children due to low-quality cough syrup under the Chief Minister’s Free Medicine Scheme, Rajasthan halts distribution of the product and suspends Drug Controller Rajaram Sharma.

Rajasthan has taken urgent action following the deaths of two children due to the consumption of substandard cough syrup distributed under the Chief Minister’s Free Medicine Scheme. The state government has suspended Drug Controller Rajaram Sharma and ordered the immediate halt of all 19 medicines supplied by Kaysons Pharma.

The health department cited failures in quality control and interference by Sharma in setting medicine standards. Multiple batches of syrup failed quality tests, prompting the state to ban all cough syrups containing dextromethorphan. According to the Rajasthan Medical Services Corporation Limited (RMSCL), of 10,119 medicine samples from Kaysons Pharma tested since 2012, 42 were found to be substandard.

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Reports of child deaths linked to the cough syrup Coldrif have emerged from Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Puducherry. Following these incidents, the Tamil Nadu government banned the sale of Coldrif syrup from October 1. The Rajasthan government has instructed the immediate removal of Coldrif products from the market and the suspension of existing stock distribution.

A Chennai-based company manufactured the syrup, which was supplied to Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Puducherry. Inspections over the past two days at the company’s Sunguvarchatram facility in Kanchipuram included sample collection for analysis. Authorities suspect contamination with diethylene glycol, a toxic chemical linked to kidney failure.

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The collected samples have been sent to state and central government laboratories for thorough testing. Production and distribution of the syrup will remain suspended until lab results are released, ensuring safety and preventing further casualties.