Thiruvananthapuram: Health Minister K Muraleedharan on Friday stated that the Kerala government would take further action upon receiving a report from an expert committee investigating allegations that expired doses of Remdesivir were administered to Nipah patients in the state in previous years.

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The probe follows a submission by Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan in the State Assembly on Thursday. Replying to the submission, the minister noted that Remdesivir procured in 2021 carried an expiry date of May 2023, yet reports suggest it might have been administered to patients admitted to Kozhikode Medical College until 2025.

Speaking to reporters, Muraleedharan clarified that the information presented to the Assembly was sourced from official reports provided by Health Department authorities, emphasizing that he would refrain from making further comments until the expert panel submits its findings.

He assured that the government would investigate whether the deaths of Nipah patients were linked to the administration of expired medication, and whether other patients who received the drug suffered any adverse side effects.

"There are several doubts regarding the medicine, including whether it was administered after its expiry date. We will investigate and take a decision," he said.

The minister clarified that the investigation focuses strictly on whether expired doses were administered to patients, rather than any concerns regarding the inherent quality or efficacy of Remdesivir.

Recalling the procurement of the antiviral during a prior Nipah outbreak after the UDF government assumed power, he noted that initial attempts to source the drug from various parts of the country failed because available stocks in Mumbai had already expired. Subsequently, the Kerala Medical Services Corporation Limited (KMSCL) informed the government that valid stock was available in Bahrain, after which it was airlifted within 48 hours.

He highlighted that patients who received the medicine within its validity period recovered, reiterating that the issue centers on expiry management rather than the drug's therapeutic capability.

Muraleedharan stated that an expert panel headed by Dr Aravind would conduct an impartial investigation without preconceived conclusions. The panel's mandate includes auditing how the drug was procured and distributed, examining the role of intermediaries, and reviewing the operational functioning of KMSCL. The government will also look into whether any private agents were involved in the procurement chain.

Additionally, the Kozhikode Medical College superintendent informed the minister that while the Remdesivir packaging listed an expiry date, it omitted the manufacturing date—a standard requirement on pharmaceutical packaging. This discrepancy will also be investigated.

The government is further reviewing reports that the medicine supplied to patients was labeled for clinical trial use, though an authoritative report on this aspect is awaited.

"Further decisions on the issues would be taken after receiving the expert committee's findings," Muraleedharan said.

He added that concerns regarding the involvement of foreign pharmaceutical firms in the state's procurement procedures would be thoroughly examined.

Procurement records and mortality timeline

Detailed procurement records reveal that KMSCL last acquired 3,000 vials of Remdesivir via its Karunya scheme on June 3, 2021, at a cost of ₹42 lakh, carrying an official expiry date of May 30, 2023.

Data provided by Kozhikode Medical College Hospital indicates that 102 vials were utilised during 2023–24, 34 vials during 2024–25, 10 vials during 2025–26, and 50 vials during 2026–27. However, the 50 vials used during 2026–27 were freshly procured from Bahrain on June 12, 2026, specifically to treat a Nipah patient.

These timelines have raised strong suspicions that the Remdesivir administered at the medical college throughout 2023, 2024, and 2025 had already passed its expiration date. Consequently, instructions have been issued to the Directorate of Medical Education (DME) and the Directorate of Health Services (DHS) to compile comprehensive records of all patients who received Remdesivir across state health facilities during these periods.

The state recorded six Nipah cases in 2023, resulting in two fatalities. In 2024, two cases were reported, both of which were fatal. In 2025, two out of three reported Nipah patients succumbed to the infection. In 2026, one Nipah case was reported, and the patient successfully recovered.

Nipah virus is a zoonotic pathogen capable of transmission between animals and humans. Fruit bats (flying foxes) serve as the primary natural reservoir for the virus, which can also infect swine and human populations. (PTI)