This incident is the latest in a series of deadly cough syrup contamination cases linked to Indian pharmaceutical manufacturers. The recurring cause of toxicity in these cases has been the substitution of pharmaceutical-grade glycerine or propylene glycol with cheaper industrial-grade variants.
Published Oct 02, 2025 | 10:34 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 02, 2025 | 10:34 PM
coughsyrup/Creative Commons
Synopsis: At least nine children have died, and several others have fallen critically ill, in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan after consuming contaminated cough syrup supplied through government health programmes. The affected syrups have been recalled, while investigations by state authorities and national health agencies continue to establish the precise cause of the toxicity. Public health officials have issued warnings against the unsupervised use of cough syrup in young children.
Multiple child deaths and severe illnesses have been reported across Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan following the consumption of contaminated or improperly prescribed cough syrup distributed through government health programmes. The incidents have prompted urgent regulatory action and widespread investigation in both states.
At least nine children have died across the two states, with the highest number of casualties in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district, where six children died over a one-month period between September 4 and September 26.
In Rajasthan, three confirmed deaths occurred in separate districts: two children in Sikar, including a five-year-old who died on September 29; one in Bharatpur on September 22; and one in Banswara. Additionally, eight other children in Rajasthan fell seriously ill after consuming the implicated syrup.
The affected children were between two and five years old, and all cases were linked to cough syrup provided through government health schemes.
Children who consumed the contaminated syrup showed a consistent pattern of severe symptoms. They initially presented with mild fever and cold and appeared to recover before their condition suddenly worsened.
The most alarming symptoms included a drastic reduction or complete cessation of urine output, persistent vomiting, swelling of the body and face, and rapid progression to acute kidney failure.
In Chhindwara, kidney biopsies suggested contamination by toxic chemicals such as diethylene glycol, known to cause severe kidney damage.
Children in Rajasthan showed symptoms consistent with dextromethorphan toxicity, including drowsiness, dizziness, anxiety, restlessness, and loss of consciousness. Several became unable to eat before succumbing to organ failure.
The primary manufacturer under investigation is Kaysons Pharma, a Jaipur-based pharmaceutical company. In Rajasthan, specific batch numbers KL-25/147 and KL-25/148 of Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide syrup have been identified and recalled.
Over 1.33 lakh bottles of these batches had been distributed across Rajasthan since July, with around 8,200 bottles remaining in stock at Jaipur’s Sawai Man Singh Hospital, now prohibited from use.
In Madhya Pradesh, Chhindwara District Collector Sheelendra Singh confirmed that two commonly prescribed cough syrups—Coldrif and Nextro-DS—were found in all six fatal cases. Samples have been sent to laboratories in Bhopal for analysis, though detailed batch information from Madhya Pradesh has not yet been fully disclosed.
Authorities in both states have launched comprehensive investigations with support from national health agencies. Teams from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and Indian Council of Medical Research are conducting ground investigations and collecting samples for laboratory analysis.
The Rajasthan government has banned 22 batches of the implicated syrup and suspended all distribution from Kaysons Pharma at pharmacy centres across the state.
In Madhya Pradesh, an advisory has been issued restricting the sale, use, and prescription of the two implicated syrups pending laboratory test results. Drug control and health authorities in both states are awaiting comprehensive lab findings, expected within days, to clarify the exact contaminant or cause.
Public health experts have strongly advised against unsupervised cough syrup use in children, particularly those under five years old, noting that the implicated syrup was likely unsuitable for paediatric use in this age group.
In a troubling incident highlighting the severity of the crisis, a doctor at the Bayana community health centre in Bharatpur district fell unconscious eight hours after consuming the syrup in front of parents, apparently attempting to demonstrate its safety.
This incident is the latest in a series of deadly cough syrup contamination cases linked to Indian pharmaceutical manufacturers. In October 2022, the World Health Organization issued a global alert for four cough syrups made by Haryana-based Maiden Pharmaceuticals after authorities in The Gambia linked 70 deaths—most due to acute kidney failure—to these products.
Two months later, in December 2022, the WHO recommended against using two cough syrups manufactured by Marion Biotech after Uzbekistan’s health ministry reported 18 child deaths following consumption of the company’s Dok 1 Max syrup.
The recurring cause of toxicity in these cases has been the substitution of pharmaceutical-grade glycerine or propylene glycol with cheaper industrial-grade variants. Industrial-grade compounds can be contaminated with diethylene glycol or ethylene glycol, toxic substances that cause diarrhoea, altered mental status, acute kidney injury, and death, particularly in vulnerable children.
