DRAP alerts public to counterfeit flu vaccines circulating in Pakistan

The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has issued country-wide advisories on products after finding spurious batches of influenza vaccines purportedly being distributed to markets across the country.

The FDA said it had detected counterfeit batches of two flu vaccinations, Influvac Tetra and Vaxigrip Tetra, and warned that the quality, safety and efficacy could not be guarantyd and that use of the vaccines could pose major health risks.

DRAP said counterfeit medications had been marketed under the guise of major pharmaceutical companies Abbott Pharma and Sanofi Winthrop.

The packaging of Influvac Tetra, the counterfeit vaccine, mentions the address of Abbott Biologicals, Netherlands, but the packaging of Vaxigrip Tetra mentions the address of Sanofi Winthrop, France.

DRAP stated Sanofi’s distributor in Pakistan reported a suspected supply of counterfeit flu vaccinations.

The Authority has certified that Vaxigrip Tetra batch number Y4B34 was not imported into Pakistan. Similarly, the Influvac Tetra vaccine batch number P13 which was believed to have been supplied in Lahore was ruled fake.

The DRAP warned that the quality and efficiency of the suspected fake vaccinations were not known and their usage might be harmful or even fatal.

The agency encouraged citizens to avoid using the suspected items and to report any potential bad effects to the National Pharmacovigilance Center.

It also urged provincial governments to take prompt action to stop the sale, acquisition and distribution of fake vaccines.

Provincial drug control officials and field enforcement teams have been directed to promptly withdraw the detected counterfeit batches from the market.