Rajasthan Govt Suspends Medicines By Kaysons Pharma — Firm Behind Cough Syrup 'Linked' To Child Deaths

Rajasthan government has suspended the distribution of all Kaysons Pharma medicines under the free medicine scheme and ordered a thorough investigation into Kayson Pharma, which supplies the generic cough syrup to Rajasthan, reported NDTV. This comes after the cough syrup manufactured by the company led to three deaths and a doctor losing consciousness in Rajasthan.

The syrup was being distributed under the state's free medicine scheme, reported NDTV.

Kaysons Pharma Was Black Listed In Past

While the recent developments already paint a gory picture, this is not the first time the company has come under scrutiny. In 2023, one of its medicines had been rejected as it failed to meet quality standards. So, how the firm got the tender again is a question that will also require investigation.

In addition to this, BJP's Rajendra Rathore pointed out that the drug was blacklisted multiple times in the past and demanded strict action against the relevant pharma company.

What Happened?

The first case was reported on Monday from Sikar, where a five-year-old child died. According to NDTV, after taking the cough syrup, Nitish woke up in the night, hiccupped and drank some water and then went to sleep, but he never woke up again.

By the time the parents realised there was something wrong and took him to a hospital in Sikar, the five-year-old was announced dead. As per the government's investigation the medical department has said that the health officer in the Sikar case will be suspended.

After the case emerged, two families from Bharatpur district came forward and claimed that their two-year-old children Teerthraj and Samrat Jatav also died in September after consuming the cough syrup. The cough syrup in question contained the compound dextromethorphan hydrobromide and was manufactured by Kaysons Pharma. According to the parents, they got the syrup from a government health centre.

While the government has ordered the suspension and investigation, it is yet to confirm if the deaths in Bharatpur were caused due to consumption of cough syrup. This according to NDTV was because the medicine in question was not mentioned on the prescription.

Director of Public Health Dr. Ravi Prakash Sharma said that the doctors had not prescribed the syrup in the Bharatpur cases as it is not recommended for children, reported NDTV. However, Samrat's mother insisted that the syrup was prescribed by the chief health officer working at the village sub-health center. She said she did not give him the syrup on her own.

She further added that the dextromethorphan syrup was administered to her three children after a consultation of Sept. 18. Two of them vomited and survived but Samrat lost consciousness and died in a hospital on Sept. 22.

However, when NDTV's team visited the village of these children, locals there confirmed that the cough syrup with dextromethorphan hydrobromide was being distributed at government dispensaries.