Health · Healthcare & Policy · 1 hr ago
Kerala to investigate possible use of expired Remdesivir for Nipah patients
Kerala will investigate whether Nipah patients received expired Remdesivir and whether the drug contributed to deaths or caused side-effects.
Health Minister K. Muraleedharan said a medical board will lead the inquiry, with an infectious diseases department head from Thiruvananthapuram’s Government Medical College Hospital in charge.
Remdesivir is an antiviral used to treat COVID-19 and Nipah, and Kerala last bought the drug in June 2021, with an expiry date of May 30, 2023.
Hospital records show that Remdesivir was used in 2023, 2024 and 2025, raising concern that some doses may have been expired.
Kerala reported seven Nipah deaths across 2023, 2024 and 2025, while the one reported case in 2026 recovered; the information does not establish whether the drug caused any deaths.
The board will examine possible links and side-effects, and health authorities have been directed to provide details of patients who received the drug.
Kerala will form a medical board to investigate whether expired Remdesivir was given to Nipah patients and whether its use contributed to deaths.
The board will also examine whether other patients who received the drug experienced side-effects.
Health Minister K. Muraleedharan said the inquiry would be led by Aravind R., head of the Infectious Diseases department at Government Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram.
Hospital records listed Remdesivir use in 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26, and officials suspect some of those drugs may have expired.
The state has asked health officials to provide details of all patients given Remdesivir.
- Who
- Kerala Health Minister K. Muraleedharan announced the inquiry. A medical board will investigate.
- What
- Kerala will investigate whether expired Remdesivir was given to Nipah patients and whether it contributed to deaths or caused side-effects.
- When
- The minister announced the inquiry on October 29, 2026.
- Where
- Kerala, India.
- Why
- Hospital records raised suspicion that Remdesivir given to patients in 2023, 2024 and 2025 may have expired.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Kerala Medical Services Corporation Ltd. last purchased Remdesivir through Karunya, buying 3,000 vials.
The expiry date of the last-purchased drug was reached.
Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital records showed Remdesivir use across these four financial years.
Health Minister K. Muraleedharan announced a medical board inquiry into possible use of expired Remdesivir.
- Board lead
- Aravind R., Infectious Diseases department head at Government Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram
- Last purchase
- 3,000 vials for ₹42 lakh on June 3, 2021
- Expiry date
- May 30, 2023
- Kozhikode hospital use
- 102 vials in 2023-24; 34 in 2024-25; 10 in 2025-26; 50 in 2026-27
- Nipah cases and deaths
- 2023: 6 cases, 2 deaths; 2024: 2 cases, 2 deaths; 2025: 3 cases, 2 deaths; 2026: 1 case, patient recovered