No child has died from cough syrup. One had meningitis (brain fever), another had a respiratory infection. The medicine has been tested and found to be appropriate,” Khinvsar said.
He acknowledged that if medicines intended for adults are administered to small children, they can be harmful to This came against the backdrop of reports of 11 child deaths, nine in Madhya Pradesh and two in Rajasthan, allegedly linked to contaminated cough syrups.
“This appears to be the case here. That is why we are introducing a new system that will clearly mention whether medicines are suitable for pregnant women and children,” he added.
Khinvsar insisted there was no negligence on the part of the government. “Our doctors did not prescribe the medicine. In one case, it was given by a nurse and a pharmacist, and even then the patient is healthy. There has been no adulteration,” he said.
The health minister, however, appeared uncomfortable when pressed for details about further investigations into cough syrups available in the market. This was Khinvsar’s first public statement since tests declared the syrup safe.
He repeatedly consulted and whispered to officials present with him before stating that sampling was underway. He ended the press briefing in just over 10 minutes, suggesting that he was apparently unsettled by the media’s questions.
The controversy began after three children in Rajasthan reportedly died after consuming Gatiman cough syrup, leading the government to ban the medicine on September 28.
Interestingly, the state minister’s rebuttal to the allegations of adulterated cough syrups came after the Rajasthan government suspended State Drug Controller Rajaram Sharma for irregularities in drug testing and distribution. Officials said Sharma allegedly influenced the process of determining drug standards.
The Medical and Health Department has also halted the supply of all 19 medicines manufactured by Jaipur-based Kaysons Pharma, along with all other syrups containing dextromethorphan, until further orders.
Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma has taken “serious note” of the matter and ordered a detailed probe. An expert committee is being formed to investigate further.
Officials pointed out that the Union government had issued an advisory in 2021 against giving dextromethorphan to children under four years of age.
The Drug Controller General of India recently reiterated that it should only be prescribed to children above five years, and never to those below two.
Since 2012, over 10,000 samples of Kaysons Pharma’s medicines have been tested, of which 42 failed to meet quality standards, officials added.
“Medicines in government stock have been tested four times and found safe,” Khinvsar reiterated. “Still, we are sampling again wherever there is doubt”.
