According to DRAP, fake batches of Influvac Tetra and Vaxigrip Tetra vaccines have been identified. The counterfeit products bear the names of Abbott Biologicals and Sanofi Winthrop, respectively.
The authority has issued product alerts for both vaccines, warning that their quality, safety and effectiveness cannot be verified and that their use could pose a serious risk to life.
DRAP said the packaging of the counterfeit Influvac Tetra vaccine carries the address of Abbott Biologicals in the Netherlands, while the Vaxigrip Tetra packaging lists Sanofi Winthrop in France.
According to the regulator, Sanofi’s distributor in Pakistan reported the supply of counterfeit flu vaccines.
DRAP identified batch number Y4B34 of Vaxigrip Tetra as fake, explaining that the batch had never been imported into Pakistan. It also confirmed that batch P13 of Influvac Tetra, supplied in Lahore, was counterfeit.
The authority has instructed doctors not to administer vaccines from the identified fake batches to patients, warning that their quality and effectiveness are unknown and their use could have potentially fatal consequences.
The alert also directs healthcare professionals to report any adverse reactions linked to counterfeit vaccines to the National Pharmacovigilance Centre. Doctors, distributors and pharmacies have been urged to immediately notify the authorities about any suspected supplies.
DRAP has directed provincial governments to take urgent measures to prevent the distribution of counterfeit vaccines. Its field teams have been instructed to investigate the supply chains through which the fake products entered the market.
The regulator has also ordered provincial drug authorities and field enforcement teams to immediately seize the identified counterfeit batches.