Cough syrup row: Rajasthan government suspends drug controller, halts distribution of Kaysons Pharma drugs

Jaipur: The Rajasthan government on Friday suspended the state drug controller and halted the distribution of medicines manufactured by Jaipur-based company Kaysons Pharma, officials said.

The Medical and Health Department stopped the supply of all 19 medicines manufactured by Kaysons Pharma until further orders, they said. Distribution of all other cough syrups containing Dextromethorphan has also been suspended.

The government has placed drug controller Rajaram Sharma under suspension for allegedly influencing the process of determining drug standards, the department said.

This comes amid reports of deaths of 11 children, nine in Madhya Pradesh and two in Rajasthan, allegedly linked to contaminated cough syrup.

Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma has ordered a detailed probe into the matter along with effective action.

Following his instructions, an expert committee is being constituted to investigate the issue.

Health Minister Gajendra Singh also ordered an inquiry and measures to safeguard public interest, an official statement said.

Principal Secretary in the Medical and Health Department, Gayatri Rathore, said the Union government issued an advisory in 2021 against administering Dextromethorphan to children below four years.

The state has reiterated the advisory, while the Drug Controller General of India on Friday advised that the syrup should normally be given only to children above five years, and in no circumstances to those under two years of age.

Officials added that drugs which are potentially harmful to children and pregnant women will now carry clear warning labels.

According to the managing director of Rajasthan Medical Services Corporation Ltd (RMSCL), Pukhraj Sen, over 10,000 samples of Kaysons Pharma drugs have been tested since 2012, of which 42 failed the quality standards.

As a precaution, the supply of all 19 medicines manufactured by the company has been suspended.