Rajasthan Oxytocin Death Case: Fake 'Tosin' Injection by Jackson Laboratories Found to Contain Only Sterile Water; WHO Seeks Report After 7 Mothers Die
A national medical scandal has triggered coordinated regulatory action across India following state laboratory confirmations that spurious oxytocin injections-found to contain only water instead of the life-saving drug-led to a string of maternal fatalities in Rajasthan.
A national medical scandal has triggered coordinated regulatory action across India after state laboratory tests confirmed that spurious oxytocin injections caused the deaths of seven mothers in Rajasthan. The investigation, which began after the seven women bled to death following Caesarean deliveries in Kota, has prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to step in and request a detailed report from the Indian government regarding global health risks.
State drug laboratories confirmed that the administered vials of "Tosin", a specific oxytocin batch supplied locally, lacked active pharmaceutical ingredients entirely. Oxytocin is standardly administered post-delivery to induce uterine contractions and prevent postpartum hemorrhage (severe blood loss). Because the spurious medicine manufactured by Jackson Laboratories was essentially sterile water, physicians were unable to control excessive hemorrhaging in the patients, resulting in the rapid escalation of fatal complications. Kota Mothers' Deaths: Probe Finds Oxytocin Injection Vials Given After C-Sections Contained Water.
The regulatory response has expanded beyond Rajasthan to multiple state borders. Joint inspections conducted by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) alongside state regulators resulted in the immediate cancellation of manufacturing licenses for Jackson Laboratories' units located in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. Investigative records show that Jackson Laboratories is a repeat offender, having previously been blacklisted in five separate states, including Punjab, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Jammu and Kashmir, and Karnataka. Cough Syrup Rules Amended: Doctor's Prescription Now Mandatory Across India; Here's Why.
Local pharmaceutical distribution networks indicate that thousands of vials from the compromised "Tosin" batch had already been distributed to multiple healthcare systems before the systemic quality failure was officially flagged. Health ministry officials emphasized that the national response reflects a zero-tolerance policy regarding pharmaceutical quality violations. Authorities have tracked the distribution of this specific batch to several major regions, including New Delhi, Indore, and Gonda, while medical teams deploy secondary testing on associated surgical fluids and anesthesia used during the procedures to eliminate all other risk variables.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 28, 2026 09:35 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
