Counterfeit Abhayrab rabies vaccine sparks fresh health alert

Counterfeit Abhayrab rabies vaccine batch KE25012 has triggered fresh warnings after laboratory tests found the samples misbranded and not of standard quality. Health experts have urged patients with concerns about their vaccination history to verify doses with healthcare professionals promptly.

Hyderabad: Unlike normal medicines where a compromised batch might delay recovery, receiving a fake rabies vaccine is a near 100 per cent death sentence, a chilling reality that has triggered widespread warnings from public health specialists and pediatricians following the detection of counterfeit Abhayrab rabies vaccine batches. Interestingly, this marks the second major fake-vial scare involving the same brand to hit India in recent months.

Prominent pediatrician and public health commentator from Hyderabad, Dr Sivaranjani Santosh, took to social media to lash out at the operators behind the racket. “People releasing counterfeit versions of anti-rabies vaccines are criminals murdering people because rabies kills,” she said.

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The alert centers on batch number KE25012, following an enforcement raid by the Delhi Police and Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) at an unlicensed residential premise in New Delhi.

The incident marks the second time in the past year that counterfeit versions of Abhayrab, which commands a significant portion of India’s domestic rabies vaccine market, have surfaced.

Previously, international bodies like Australia’s immunisation advisory group (ATAGI) issued widespread alerts regarding an earlier counterfeit batch (KA24014) circulating in the country, exposing deep vulnerabilities in drug tracking and supply chain security.

In the latest case, laboratory analysis at the Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) in Kasauli declared the seized KE25012 samples “Not of Standard Quality” (NSQ) and misbranded.

Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL), through its Human Biologicals Institute division in Hyderabad, confirmed that testing exposed 17 packaging and labeling discrepancies, proving the vials were spurious.

Authorities made it clear that legitimate stocks released via Certificate CDL/2025/8392 on November 7, 2025, are safe and were retailed through authorised medical channels.

Tracking nightmare for patients

A major hurdle is that patients rarely retain vaccine packaging or covers, leaving them with no means to track or verify their batch numbers. As a result, they are dependent on healthcare providers and clinics to audit records and ensure their inoculations are genuine.

While the statistical likelihood of individuals receiving a tainted dose in Hyderabad or elsewhere in Telangana remains slim, medical experts advise a strict precautionary approach. Anyone who received Abhayrab on or after November 7, 2025, must immediately verify their vaccination history with a healthcare professional.

Important guidelines for patients:

Patients can scan the vial’s QR code; if product information fails to appear instantly, the dose is counterfeit

Anti-rabies vaccines must never be injected into the buttocks or bums

They must be given strictly intramuscularly or intradermally in the thighs or shoulders

A dose given in the buttocks is invalid and must be repeated

For cat/dog bites, if the animal remains alive for 10 days post-bite, the animal is non-rabid, and patients can skip booster vaccine dose

The 10-day rule does not apply to bites/saliva exposure from other mammal species

Fake doses/shots given in the wrong spot won’t protect you if bitten in the future again

Due to the 100 per cent fatal nature of rabies, anyone with the slightest doubt regarding doses received since November 7, 2025, must consult a doctor and retake the vaccine immediately