Rajasthan suspends drug controller in cough syrup deaths case
After two children died and several others got sick from allegedly substandard cough syrup handed out under a state scheme, Rajasthan has suspended its Drug Controller, Rajaram Sharma.
Authorities allege he interfered in setting medicine standards based on salt content.
The government has also stopped distributing 19 medicines from Kayson Pharma while the investigation continues.
Ban on dextromethorphan syrups
Rajasthan has now banned all cough syrups containing dextromethorphan after some batches failed tests—plus, expert panels are looking into how these medicines slipped through quality checks in the first place.
Tamil Nadu banned another syrup called Coldrif after more child deaths were linked to possible toxic contamination in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
Across India, health officials are warning against giving cough syrups to kids under two while labs race to pinpoint what went wrong.