The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has issued a recall alert concerning the presence of suspected counterfeit anti-rabies vaccines in the market.
According to DRAP, the questionable vaccine, “Shore-Rab,” is manufactured by an Indian company but is not registered with the authority. The specific batch in question is labeled “RO10821.”
DRAP warns that using this unregistered vaccine poses serious health risks, especially for individuals who have been bitten by dogs.
The alert has been circulated to DRAP’s field force, provincial drug authorities, healthcare professionals, and pharmacies.
The quality and safety of the fake vaccine are uncertain, raising concerns about potential increases in rabies infections.
DRAP has called for a thorough investigation into the supply chain of this counterfeit vaccine and urged pharmacies and distributors to immediately review their stock. DRAP’s field force has been instructed to conduct market surveillance to identify suppliers of the fake vaccine and confiscate the affected batch. Medical professionals are advised not to administer the suspected “Shore-Rab” vaccine to dog bite victims.
Pharmacies and distributors are encouraged to report any stock of the counterfeit vaccine to DRAP immediately.
