Falsified rabies vaccine: India

Falsified rabies vaccine was reported in India in 2025

• This updates the news item of 29 October 2025

On 13 January 2025, falsified Abhayrab vaccine was first reported to the Drug Controller General of India by Indian Immunologicals Limited (manufacturer) [1]. They reported this falsified product poses a significant threat to public health due to the possibility of lack of efficacy, harmful components and the risk of treatment failure in preventing rabies, a fatal disease. There has been no further evidence indicating continued circulation.

The public health agencies in the four nations of the UK have conducted a look-back exercise to identify travellers who reported receiving rabies vaccine following an animal bite in India from 1 November 2023 to 22 January 2026 to determine whether further rabies vaccination may be recommended. Additional rabies vaccination was offered to some individuals following individual risk assessments.

Rabies is a rare but extremely serious viral infection which is almost always fatal once symptoms appear, but vaccination and early treatment can prevent it. It can be difficult to determine whether an animal is infected with rabies or not, so cleaning the wound and seeking prompt medical advice after a possible rabies exposure is important.

Advice for travellers

• Avoid contact with all animals.
• Following a possible exposure (bite, scratch or lick to broken skin or mucous membranes, e.g. nose, mouth, eyes), clean any wounds thoroughly with soap and water, apply a suitable disinfectant such as 70 percent alcohol or tincture/aqueous solution of povidone-iodine if available and seek an urgent local medical assessment, even if the wound appears trivial. If animal/bat saliva gets into eyes, nose or mouth, wash face thoroughly with clean water as soon as possible and seek an urgent local medical assessment.
• Post-exposure treatment and advice should be in accordance with national guidelines.
• Travellers should discuss any concerns about the legitimacy of a vaccine with a healthcare provider and should keep a written record of any vaccines they are given abroad. Consider taking a photo of the vaccine product.
• Travellers who are concerned they may have received a falsified vaccine in India, for either pre-exposure prophylaxis or post-exposure treatment, during the defined lookback period should contact their travel clinic or GP, who can then discuss the situation further with the relevant public health agency. Travellers in Scotland should call NHS24 on 111 or their local GP.

Advice for health professionals

In England healthcare professionals with concerns about a patient who may have received falsified rabies vaccine in India can call the UK Health Security Agency Rabies and Immunoglobulin Service (RIgS) for further advice.

For Scotland healthcare professionals should access their local post exposure assessment and treatment pathway or contact their local Health Protection Team.

For Wales healthcare professionals should contact the AWARe service who will begin the risk assessment AWARe/Health Protection Team.

For Northern Ireland healthcare professionals should contact the Health Protection Service.