Rajasthan government has suspended Drug Controller Rajaram Sharma and halted the distribution of all 19 medicines supplied by Kayson Pharma.

The action was taken after two children died and several fell ill, allegedly due to the consumption of cough syrups distributed under the Chief Minister’s Free Medicine Scheme.

The Health Department cited quality control failures. 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, 10 thousand 119 samples of Kayson Pharma’s medicines have been tested since 2012, with 42 found to be substandard. Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma has ordered a detailed investigation into the issue.

An expert committee is being formed to examine how the medicines passed existing checks and what failures occurred in the quality assurance process.