THE Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) has flagged a counterfeit rabies vaccine circulating on the Zimbabwean market.
According to MCAZ, the fake product poses a significant threat to public health due to lack of efficacy and possibly may contain harmful components.
In a statement, MCAZ director-general Richard Rukwata said the danger of using such counterfeit drugs could not be overstated.
“This falsified product poses a significant threat to public health due to the potential for lack of efficacy, harmful components and the risk of treatment failure in preventing rabies, a fatal disease,” he said.
The counterfeit product is labelled as ‘Rabies Vaccine, Human IP with a declared active ingredient of ‘Purified Vero Cell Rabies Vaccine.’
However, the legitimate product, registered under ‘Rabies Vaccine BP ‘Rab’,’ is manufactured by the Human Biologicals Institute in Tamil Nadu, India, and has a different batch and expiry details.
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The details for the falsified product include: Batch Number: KE24002 Expiry Date: 05/27.
In contrast, the genuine vaccine has Batch Number: 24URAB086 Expiry Date: OCT27.
Rukwata also revealed that the counterfeit product is being distributed through unauthorised sources and unregulated channels, alerting people who may have bought the counterfeit vaccine to return it to the pharmacy from which they obtained it.
MCAZ said the safety and efficacy of vaccines are paramount in preventing outbreaks of rabies and protection of public health.
It further called on all licensed wholesalers, pharmacies and healthcare facilities, both public and private, to immediately quarantine all units of the falsified vaccine.
It instructed them to submit the quarantined products to the authority for appropriate disposal.
“The identified ABHAYRAB Rabies vaccine is circulating in the market through unauthorised sources and the public is advised to return the counterfeit product to the authority for proper disposal,” Rukwata said.