**Rajasthan Drug Controller Suspended Over Deaths Linked to ‘Substandard’ Cough Syrups**
*By Snehil Singh | October 4, 2025 | 12:29 PM*
The Rajasthan government has suspended Drug Controller Rajaram Sharma following the deaths of two children and illness in several others after allegedly consuming substandard cough syrups. These syrups were distributed under the Chief Minister’s Free Medicine Scheme.
The state Health Department cited significant quality control failures and alleged that Sharma interfered with the setting of medicine standards, particularly concerning the salt content in the formulations.
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### Investigation Underway
In response, Rajasthan has banned the supply of all cough syrups containing dextromethorphan from every manufacturer, after multiple batches failed quality tests.
Since 2012, the Rajasthan Medical Services Corporation Limited (RMSCL) tested 10,119 samples of medicines from Kayson Pharma and identified 42 as substandard. Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma has ordered a thorough investigation to understand how these medicines passed existing quality checks and to identify lapses in the quality assurance process.
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### Expert Committees to Probe Quality Failures
An expert committee will now probe the quality assurance failures linked to Kayson Pharma’s medicines. Following this, a second committee is expected to recommend further actions in the public interest.
The government has also issued an advisory against the use of dextromethorphan-containing products in children under two years of age, aligning with earlier guidance from the Centre. Additionally, labels warning of risks to children and pregnant women will now be mandatory on such medicines.
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### Tamil Nadu Bans Sale of ‘Coldrif’ Cough Syrup
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu has banned the sale of “Coldrif” cough syrup after reports connected it to the deaths of 11 children across Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
The state government ordered the immediate removal of this product from the market and froze existing stocks. Manufactured by a Chennai-based company, “Coldrif” was supplied to Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Puducherry.
Authorities suspect contamination with diethylene glycol — a toxic chemical known to cause kidney failure — as the cause of the adverse events.
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### National Advisory on Cough and Cold Medications for Young Children
The Union Health Ministry has advised against prescribing cough and cold medications to children under two years of age. This comes in the wake of the recent tragedies, including the deaths of nine children in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district and two in Rajasthan.
Senior Congress leader Kamal Nath raised concerns that contamination may have occurred due to the mixing of medicines with industrial brake oil solvents, highlighting serious worries about safety practices within the pharmaceutical supply chain.
Government laboratory test results are awaited to confirm these allegations.
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*This developing story underscores the critical need for stringent quality controls in pharmaceutical production and distribution to prevent further tragedies.*
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/india/rajasthan-suspends-drug-controller-bans-cough-syrup-after-deaths/story
