Rajasthan Suspends 19 Kaysan Pharma Drugs Amid Cough Syrup Scare; 3 Officials Removed

Jaipur — The Rajasthan government has suspended all 19 medicines manufactured by Kaysan Pharma, Jaipur, after reports linked its Dextromethorphan HBr Syrup to adverse health effects in Bharatpur and Sikar.

Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khinvsar announced that two officials — Dr. Palak Koolwal (PHC Hathideh) and Pharmacist Pappu Soni — along with State Drug Controller Rajaram Sharma have been suspended for negligence and monitoring lapses.

Complaints first surfaced on September 28 from Bharatpur over batch KL-25/147, followed by similar concerns in Sikar the next day involving batch KL-25/148. Patients reportedly experienced vomiting, dizziness, fainting, and drowsiness after consuming the syrup. The Health Department immediately banned these batches and sent samples for testing.

While some media reports connected the syrup to three child deaths, Khinvsar clarified that there was no confirmed evidence of dextromethorphan use in those cases, which remain under investigation.

The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has reiterated that dextromethorphan should not be given to children under 2 years, and only prescribed cautiously in those above 5 years. Rajasthan has issued strict instructions to doctors to comply.

The minister also gave updates on children who fell ill:

• Gagan (Bharatpur) consumed his father’s medicine but has recovered.

• Kittu (3) and Tinku (Sikar), confirmed to have taken the syrup, have also recovered.

Laboratory tests on six samples of Kaysan Pharma’s dextromethorphan batches showed they were of standard quality. Out of 1.33 lakh doses distributed, no other adverse complaints have been reported.

However, Khinvsar revealed a troubling record: since 2012, 10,119 samples from the company were tested, of which 42 failed quality checks. Notably, 39 failures occurred during COVID-19, with three more failing recently.

“In light of repeated failures, we have suspended all 19 medicines of Kaysan Pharma as a precaution,” the minister said, assuring the public that the state’s Free Medicine Scheme maintains strict quality control and that protecting public health remains a top priority.

With inputs from IANS