New Delhi | HL June 26, 2026
The Union Government has cancelled the manufacturing licences of two production facilities operated by a pharmaceutical company Jackson Laboratories, after regulatory inspections found serious violations of manufacturing standards during an investigation into the oxytocin injection controversy linked to maternal deaths in Rajasthan.
The action followed a joint inspection by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) and state drug regulators from Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. Officials reportedly detected multiple breaches of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), leading the respective state licensing authorities to suspend the licences of the company’s manufacturing units.
The regulatory crackdown comes in the wake of an investigation into the deaths of five women who underwent Caesarean deliveries at a government hospital in Jaipur between May 5 and May 17. Authorities are examining whether the use of suspected substandard or counterfeit oxytocin injections played a role in the fatalities. Investigators have not yet established a direct link, and the probe remains ongoing.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) has requested additional information from the Government of India regarding the incident. The Union Health Ministry clarified that the request is a routine part of the WHO’s international pharmacovigilance and drug safety monitoring system. The ministry stressed that such requests should not be interpreted as evidence that the WHO has concluded the medicine or the manufacturer was responsible.
Editor’s Note: The investigation into the Jaipur maternal deaths is still underway. No final determination has been made regarding the cause of the deaths or the liability of Jackson Laboratories Pvt. Ltd. until the official probe is completed.
