Health and Me

Ishita Roy

Australia Issues Advisory Warning Travelers Of Counterfeit Rabies Vaccines Found In India

Australian Government, Department of Health, Disability and Ageing

Australia issued a health advisory warning travellers and healthcare providers about counterfeit batches of a rabies vaccine that have reportedly been circulating in India since November 1, 2023. The alert has raised concerns for anyone who may have received the vaccine while travelling or living in the country.

<h2>This Is What The Australian Advisory Says:</h2>

The warning was issued on December 22 by the <strong>Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation</strong>. It flagged counterfeit batches of the rabies vaccine <em>Abhayrab</em>. While the vaccine is not supplied or used in Australia, the advisory notes that Australians or other travellers who were vaccinated in India could still be at risk.

The advisory clearly states that people who may have received the counterfeit vaccine might not be fully protected against rabies. As a precaution,<strong> it recommends that they receive replacement doses using a rabies vaccine that is registered and approved for use in Australia</strong>.

As it can be difficult to verify whether a dose was genuine or fake, the advisory takes a cautious approach. It says that <strong>anyone who received <em>Abhayrab </em>in India on or after November 1, 2023, should be considered as potentially having been given a counterfeit vaccine</strong>. Such individuals should be offered replacement doses as per Australian guidelines.

<h2>Why rabies protection is critical</h2>

Rabies is a viral zoonotic disease that attacks the central nervous system. In humans, it is most commonly transmitted through the bite of an infected dog. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), once rabies reaches the central nervous system and symptoms begin to appear, the disease is fatal in almost all cases.

India continues to bear a significant burden of the disease. WHO estimates suggest that rabies causes between 18,000 and 20,000 deaths every year in the country. India alone accounts for about 36 percent of rabies deaths globally, making effective vaccination and timely treatment especially critical.

Abhayrab is manufactured by the Human Biologicals Institute, which is a division of Hyderabad-based Indian Immunologicals Limited. Responding to the advisory, the company said that it had proactively identified an issue in January related to a specific batch of the vaccine, as reported by <em>Scroll</em>.

According to the company, the issue involved Batch Number KA 24014, which was found in the marketplace with packaging that differed from the original. Indian Immunologicals Limited said it immediately informed Indian regulators and has been working closely with regulatory authorities and law enforcement agencies to address the issue. A formal complaint has also been lodged to support an investigation.

The company stressed that every batch of vaccine it produces is tested and released by the Central Drugs Laboratory under the Government of India before being made available for public use.

<h2>Broader concerns around medical quality</h2>

The advisory also comes at a time when India-made medical products have faced scrutiny abroad. In recent years, deaths allegedly linked to Indian-manufactured <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-news/cough-syrup-row-death-toll-rise-to-22-as-2-more-children-succumb-article-152967962" data-type="tilCustomLink">cough syrups</a> were reported in countries like Gambia and Uzbekistan. Separately, Indian-made eye drops were suspected to be linked to infections in Sri Lanka.

Read: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-news/after-coldrif-who-bans-2-more-drugs-but-this-is-not-the-only-death-from-indian-cough-syrup-article-152996837" data-type="tilCustomLink">After Coldrif, WHO Bans 2 More Drugs, But This Is Not the Only Death from Indian Cough Syrup</a>

Indian Immunologicals Limited, however, reiterated its commitment to safety and quality. It noted that <em>Abhayrab </em>has been manufactured since 2000, with over 210 million doses supplied in India and more than 40 countries. The company said the vaccine holds nearly 40 percent of the market share and assured healthcare professionals and the public that supplies made through authorized distributors are safe and meet quality standards.

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Australia issued a health advisory warning travellers and healthcare providers about counterfeit batches of a rabies vaccine that have reportedly been circulating in India since November 1, 2023. The alert has raised concerns for anyone who may have received the vaccine while travelling or living in the country.This Is What The Australian Advisory Says:The warning was issued on December 22 by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation. It flagged counterfeit batches of the rabies vaccine Abhayrab. While the vaccine is not supplied or used in Australia, the advisory notes that Australians or other travellers who were vaccinated in India could still be at risk.The advisory clearly states that people who may have received the counterfeit vaccine might not be fully protected against rabies. As a precaution, it recommends that they receive replacement doses using a rabies vaccine that is registered and approved for use in Australia.  As it can be difficult to verify whether a dose was genuine or fake, the advisory takes a cautious approach. It says that anyone who received Abhayrab in India on or after November 1, 2023, should be considered as potentially having been given a counterfeit vaccine. Such individuals should be offered replacement doses as per Australian guidelines.Why rabies protection is criticalRabies is a viral zoonotic disease that attacks the central nervous system. In humans, it is most commonly transmitted through the bite of an infected dog. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), once rabies reaches the central nervous system and symptoms begin to appear, the disease is fatal in almost all cases.India continues to bear a significant burden of the disease. WHO estimates suggest that rabies causes between 18,000 and 20,000 deaths every year in the country. India alone accounts for about 36 percent of rabies deaths globally, making effective vaccination and timely treatment especially critical.Vaccine manufacturer respondsAbhayrab is manufactured by the Human Biologicals Institute, which is a division of Hyderabad-based Indian Immunologicals Limited. Responding to the advisory, the company said that it had proactively identified an issue in January related to a specific batch of the vaccine, as reported by Scroll.According to the company, the issue involved Batch Number KA 24014, which was found in the marketplace with packaging that differed from the original. Indian Immunologicals Limited said it immediately informed Indian regulators and has been working closely with regulatory authorities and law enforcement agencies to address the issue. A formal complaint has also been lodged to support an investigation.The company stressed that every batch of vaccine it produces is tested and released by the Central Drugs Laboratory under the Government of India before being made available for public use.Broader concerns around medical qualityThe advisory also comes at a time when India-made medical products have faced scrutiny abroad. In recent years, deaths allegedly linked to Indian-manufactured cough syrups were reported in countries like Gambia and Uzbekistan. Separately, Indian-made eye drops were suspected to be linked to infections in Sri Lanka.Read: After Coldrif, WHO Bans 2 More Drugs, But This Is Not the Only Death from Indian Cough SyrupIndian Immunologicals Limited, however, reiterated its commitment to safety and quality. It noted that Abhayrab has been manufactured since 2000, with over 210 million doses supplied in India and more than 40 countries. The company said the vaccine holds nearly 40 percent of the market share and assured healthcare professionals and the public that supplies made through authorized distributors are safe and meet quality standards.