In the wake of four child deaths reportedly linked to contaminated cough syrup in Rajasthan, the state health department has ramped up drug quality surveillance. Between October 1 and 15, nine medicines, including dexamethasone, albendazole, flupentixol & melitracen, primaquine, aceclofenac + paracetamol + serratiopeptidase, loperamide, hyoscine + paracetamol, doxycycline, and alpha lipoic acid + methylcobalamin, were flagged as substandard. The implicated manufacturers hail from Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
Authorities have instructed drug safety officers to recheck other batches from these firms and informed the Drugs Controller General of India, as well as regulators across multiple states. Hospitals and district health officers have also been alerted to prevent further distribution. Random drug sampling and lab testing continue across the state to…
