What Led to the Suspension of All Medicines by Kaysan Pharma in Rajasthan?
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Synopsis
The suspension of 19 medicines from Kaysan Pharma in Rajasthan follows serious health concerns linked to their cough syrup. Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khinvsar announced the actions taken against officials and the precautions being enforced to protect public health. Discover the unfolding details of this critical health issue.
Key Takeaways
- All 19 medications from Kaysan Pharma have been suspended.
- Health officials faced suspension for negligence.
- Reports of adverse effects include vomiting and dizziness.
- New guidelines restrict dextromethorphan use in children.
- The government is committed to public safety.
Jaipur, Oct 4 (NationPress) Rajasthan Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khinvsar announced on Saturday that all 19 medications provided by Kaysan Pharma in Jaipur have been put on hold due to reports of adverse reactions associated with Dextromethorphan HBr Syrup in Bharatpur and Sikar.
Two health officials — Dr Palak Koolwal (PHC Hathideh) and Pharmacist Pappu Soni — have been suspended for negligence, and State Drug Controller Rajaram Sharma has also been dismissed for failures in oversight.
On September 28, 2025, complaints emerged from Bharatpur regarding batch number KL-25/147 of Dextromethorphan Syrup. The following day, a similar concern was raised from Sikar about batch KL-25/148.
“Patients experienced symptoms like vomiting, dizziness, fainting, and drowsiness post consumption of the syrup. The Health Department promptly prohibited these batches and forwarded samples to the State Drug Testing Laboratory,” stated the minister.
In response to media claims linking the cough syrup to three child fatalities, the minister clarified that Nityansh Sharma (4) from Sikar died on September 29, 2025, without any evidence of dextromethorphan being prescribed. “Samrat, from Bharatpur, passed away on September 22, 2025, due to acute respiratory distress, with no record of syrup consumption. Tirthraj, also from Bharatpur, died on September 27, 2025, due to acute encephalitis, and there’s no record of syrup use. These incidents are under investigation, but there’s currently no evidence that government doctors prescribed the medication,” Khinvsar added.
New advisories from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) caution that dextromethorphan should not be administered to children under 2 years and should generally be prescribed only for those over 5 years. The Rajasthan government has instructed all physicians to adhere to these regulations strictly.
The Health Minister provided updates on children who fell ill after suspecting syrup use. “Gagan, son of Satishchand, from Bharatpur, fell ill after taking his father’s medication but has since recovered. Kittu (3) and Tinku, sons of Pratap Singh from Sikar, confirmed syrup consumption and have both recovered. Khinvsar further mentioned: “Today, results from the Drug Testing Lab for six samples of Kaysan Pharma’s dextromethorphan batches have been received. All were found to meet quality standards. To date, 1.33 lakh doses from these batches have been distributed, with no adverse complaints reported elsewhere.”
The minister disclosed that since 2012, 10,119 samples from Kaysan Pharma were tested, with 42 failing quality assessments.
Notably, 39 samples of a single drug failed during the COVID-19 period, while three additional samples failed recently. “Due to these repeated failures, we have suspended all 19 medications from Kaysan Pharma as a precautionary measure,” Khinvsar stated.
He assured the public that the Chief Minister’s Free Medicine Scheme continues to uphold a multi-level quality control system, emphasizing the government’s commitment to safeguarding public health.
Point of View
It's crucial to evaluate the swift actions of the Rajasthan Health Ministry in response to potential health hazards. The suspension of Kaysan Pharma’s products indicates a proactive approach to safeguarding public health, highlighting the importance of regulatory oversight in the pharmaceutical industry.
NationPress
04/10/2025
Frequently Asked Questions
What were the adverse effects reported from the cough syrup?
Patients reported symptoms including vomiting, dizziness, fainting, and drowsiness after consuming the syrup.
What actions were taken against health officials?
Two health officials were suspended for negligence, and the State Drug Controller was dismissed for monitoring lapses.
Are there any new guidelines for prescribing dextromethorphan?
Yes, new advisories state that dextromethorphan should not be given to children under 2 years and should be prescribed only for those above 5 years.
What was the outcome of the drug testing for Kaysan Pharma's products?
Samples from six batches of Kaysan Pharma's dextromethorphan were tested and found to be of standard quality.
How many samples from Kaysan Pharma have failed quality checks?
Since 2012, a total of 10,119 samples from Kaysan Pharma have been tested, with 42 failing quality checks.
