Indian firm slams Aussie 'fake vaccine' claim: Abhayreb cleared of counterfeit charges

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu) : Hyderabad-based drug manufacturing company Indian Immunologicals Limited has rejected the claim of the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (ATAGI) in which the anti-rabies vaccine of the Indian company was declared fake.

Earlier this week, ATAGI issued an advisory claiming that counterfeit batches of the anti-rabies vaccine Abhayreb have been circulating in India since November 2023. IIL has been manufacturing Abhayreb in India since 2000. IIL, the company that manufactures the vaccine, has objected to this.

IIL states that the ATAGI advisory indicates that any Abhayreb vaccine administered in India after November 1, 2023, should be considered invalid, causing confusion among the public and healthcare workers. According to the company, the advisory may undermine confidence in the vaccine.

"IIL aims to reassure stakeholders that the company's pharmacovigilance and quality systems are robust, and that the public can trust the vaccine supplied directly through IIL and its authorized channels," Sunil Tiwari, IIL's vice president and head of quality management, said in a statement on Saturday. According to the company, since 2000, more than 210 million doses of Abhayrab have been supplied in India and 40 countries. The anti-rabies vaccine continues to command a 40 percent market share in India.

Australian health officials stated that people who received the counterfeit vaccine may not be fully protected against rabies. People who received the Abhayreb vaccine from November 1, 2023, have been advised to consult their doctor to determine if a replacement dose is needed. "In January 2025, IIL identified a packaging defect in a specific batch (Batch # KA 24014). The company immediately informed Indian regulators and law enforcement agencies, filed a formal complaint, and worked closely with authorities to ensure swift action," IIL said.

Calling it an "isolated incident," the drugmaker said the "counterfeit batch is no longer available in stores." The company also assured healthcare professionals and the public of the vaccine's safety.

IIL stated, "Every batch of vaccines manufactured in India is tested and released by the Central Drugs Laboratory (Government of India) before being made available for sale or administration. Supplies made through government agencies and authorized distributors are safe and comply with established standards." Rabies is a viral zoonotic disease that affects the central nervous system. In most cases of rabies in humans, infected dogs are responsible for transmitting the virus.

The disease is fatal in 100% of cases once it infects the central nervous system and clinical symptoms appear. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 18,000–20,000 deaths from rabies occur in India each year, most of them due to dog bites.

You Might Be Interested In