The Rajasthan government has suspended Drug Controller Rajaram Sharma and halted the distribution of all 19 medicines supplied by Kayson Pharma after two children died and several fell ill allegedly due to the consumption of substandard cough syrups distributed under the Chief Minister’s Free Medicine Scheme.

The Health Department cited quality control failures and alleged interference by Sharma in setting medicine standards based on salt content.

The state has also banned the supply of cough syrups containing dextromethorphan from all manufacturers after several batches failed quality tests. According to Rajasthan Medical Services Corporation Limited (RMSCL), 10,119 samples of Kayson Pharma’s medicines have been tested since 2012, with 42 found to be substandard.

Chief Minister Bhajan

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