Australia flags fake Indian rabies doses; Indian maker rejects alarm

Australia flags fake Indian rabies doses; Indian maker rejects alarm

Australia has issued a health advisory over the Abhayrab rabies vaccine, warning that counterfeit doses are circulating in India.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) said people vaccinated with fake Abhayrab may not be fully protected against rabies.

The vaccine is manufactured by the Human Biologicals Institute, a unit of Indian Immunologicals (IIL).

US, UK also raise concerns over counterfeit Abhayrab vaccine

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had earlier reported a rabies case involving a traveler from India and cited the circulation of counterfeit Abhayrab vaccines.

The CDC advised travelers potentially exposed to rabies in India to seek immediate medical care.

Similarly, the United Kingdom's health authority conducted a look-back exercise to identify travelers receiving rabies vaccines in India since November 2023.

IIL responds to counterfeit claims, requests review of advisory

In response to the allegations, IIL termed the advisory "over-cautionary and misplaced."

They said a counterfeiting incident involving Abhayrab batch no. KA24014 was detected by early January 2025, and the counterfeit batch is no longer available for sale.

IIL also stressed that all vaccine batches are tested and released by the Central Drugs Laboratory before being sold or administered.

Abhayrab's market presence and expert opinion on vaccine reliability

Abhayrab holds a nearly 40% market share in India. The company's senior official warned that advisories like Australia's could lead to vaccine hesitancy.

Reeta Mani, an expert from the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) in Bangalore, called Abhayrab a reliable vaccine widely used across India.

She stressed the need for precise language in public advisories to avoid eroding trust in vaccines.