The Gujarat government has suspended operations at two pharmaceutical companies after several of their cough syrups were found to be &ldquo;Not of Standard Quality&rdquo; (NSQ). The action follows reports linking contaminated syrups to the deaths of children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
State Health Minister Rushikesh Patel announced that manufacturing licenses of Shape Pharma Pvt. Ltd. (Surendranagar) and Rednex Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (Ahmedabad district) have been suspended with immediate effect. Both firms have been instructed to recall all batches of the affected syrups from the market.
Joint inspections by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) and Food and Drugs Control Administration (FDCA) between October 3 and 5 revealed major lapses in quality control and production practices. Although no defective stock was found during the inspection, the government ordered the withdrawal of all products as a precautionary measure.
A total of 14 samples&mdash; three from Shape Pharma and eleven from Rednex Pharmaceuticals&mdash;have been sent for testing in government laboratories. &ldquo;Further action will follow based on the lab results. Ensuring the health and safety of Gujarat&rsquo;s citizens is our top priority,&rdquo; said Patel.
The FDCA has launched an extensive inspection drive across Gujarat, covering all 624 licensed oral liquid manufacturers. Officials have been directed to review water quality, raw materials, and production standards, with multiple samples from each factory being tested at the Vadodara lab.
Minister Patel confirmed that the sale and distribution of all NSQ-declared syrups have been banned, and the recall process is being closely monitored. &ldquo;The government will take strict action against any company compromising on drug quality. Public health will not be put at risk,&rdquo; he added.
The move comes amid a nationwide alert after toxic chemicals such as diethylene glycol were detected in certain cough syrups produced in Gujarat, raising serious concerns over pharmaceutical safety.

Gujarat Orders Recall of Faulty Cough Syrups

Production stopped at Shape Pharma, Rednex over cough syrup quality concerns

Gujarat Orders Recall of Faulty Cough Syrups

Production stopped at Shape Pharma, Rednex over cough syrup quality concerns

October 7, 2025 | 23:19 IST