A tragic incident in Rajasthan has brought renewed attention to the dangers of contaminated cough syrups, reminiscent of the 2021 Delhi deaths linked to diethylene glycol (DEG) poisoning. A five-year-old boy from Sikar district died after consuming a cough syrup supplied under the state government's free medicine scheme.
Nitish, a 5-year-old from Khori Brahmana village, was given the cough syrup after developing a cough and cold. His condition worsened, and he was declared dead at the hospital on Monday morning. The family declined a post-mortem examination.
The incident has prompted authorities to launch an investigation into the cough syrup, manufactured by Kaysons Pharma. Twenty-two batches of the syrup have been banned, and their distribution has been halted. Samples have been sent for laboratory testing to determine the presence of adulterants.
Adding to the concern, several other individuals have reportedly fallen ill after consuming the same syrup. In Bayana, Bharatpur, a three-year-old child experienced increased heartbeat and unconsciousness after being given the medicine. The CHC in-charge and two ambulance drivers consumed the medicine to test its reaction after the complaint, and their conditions also deteriorated, requiring hospitalization. Furthermore, the parents of a two-year-old from Bharatpur district reported their child died after being given the same syrup the previous week. Two other children who consumed the syrup also fell ill but recovered.
In a shocking incident, Dr. Tarachand Yogi, head of a community health center in Bayana, fell unconscious after taking a dose of the cough syrup to prove its safety. He was found in his car eight hours later. An ambulance driver who also took the medicine experienced similar symptoms but has recovered.
Kaysons Pharma has a history of regulatory non-compliance. The company was previously debarred by the state health department for two years due to failure to deliver medicines as per agreements with the Rajasthan Medical Services Corporation Ltd (RMSCL). Action against Kaysons Pharma was initiated in April 2022 after an RMSCL disciplinary committee found the firm in violation of tender conditions. Despite receiving multiple purchase orders, the company either failed to supply or only partially supplied the contracted syrup, leading to its debarment starting June 6, 2022. A syrup from the same manufacturer had previously been banned in 2023 due to low menthol content.
These incidents have raised serious questions about the quality control and safety of pharmaceuticals in India. Concerns have been raised about the presence of harmful substances like diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol (EG) in substandard cough syrups. These toxic alcohols can cause kidney damage and pose a serious health risk. DEG and EG are sometimes illegally used as cheaper alternatives to non-toxic solvents like glycerine or propylene glycol. Symptoms of contamination may not appear until large amounts have been consumed.
In 2023, Indian-made syrups laced with DEG claimed the lives of 141 children worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) has also raised concerns over substandard cough syrups made in India, linking them to 300 child deaths. The organization has issued alerts for several syrups produced in India and has mandated testing of cough syrups by specified labs before export.
These recent incidents underscore the urgent need for stricter regulations, rigorous quality checks, and greater accountability in the pharmaceutical industry to prevent further tragedies.
