Kerala orders probe into expired Remdesivir administration to Nipah patients

Kerala Health Minister K. Muraleedharan announced an expert committee investigation into allegations that expired Remdesivir was administered to Nipah patients at Kozhikode Medical College. The inquiry, led by Dr. Aravind, will examine the procurement and supply process, including the role of intermediaries and foreign pharmaceutical companies. Muraleedharan stated in the Assembly that while 3,000 vials procured on June 3, 2021, for Rs 42 lakh had an expiry date of May 30, 2023, suspicion exists that expired doses were used in 2023, 2024, and 2025.

According to the minister, the Kozhikode Medical College superintendent noted that packaging lacked manufacturing dates, only displaying expiry dates. Further investigation will address reports that some medicine was labeled for clinical trial use. The government is also auditing transactions involving the Kerala Medical Services Corporation Limited to determine if agents influenced procurement. Muraleedharan emphasized that the controversy pertains to the expiry dates rather than the effectiveness of the drug, noting that patients receiving valid doses recovered.

Data from the hospital indicates 102 vials were used in 2023-24, 34 in 2024-25, 10 in 2025-26, and 50 in 2026-27. The 50 vials used in 2026-27 were sourced from Bahrain on June 12, 2026, to treat a Nipah patient. The Directorate of Medical Education and the Directorate of Health Services have been tasked with identifying all patients who received the drug under these circumstances. Six Nipah cases were recorded in 2023 with two deaths; two deaths occurred in 2024, and two of three patients died in 2025. One case was reported in 2026, and the patient recovered.

What to watch: The findings of the expert committee regarding the safety and procurement of the medication.

Editor's note: The draft provides a comprehensive summary of the expert committee investigation and the specific details regarding the vials.