Drug control officials stated on Wednesday that Pakistan is experiencing a shortage of authentic influenza vaccines because supplies from major Chinese and international manufacturers have dried up, opening the market to suspected counterfeit items.
In connection with the situation, drug inspectors based in Lahore confiscated a substantial quantity of suspected fake flu vaccines and took two individuals into custody.
A representative from the Office of the Chief Drug Controller Punjab reported that vaccines produced by all primary suppliers are currently absent from the market, with products from Abbott and Sanofi impacted by the lack of stock.
The representative mentioned that Abbott may completely withhold its flu vaccine from Pakistan this year, while Sanofi could potentially ship a restricted amount near the end of November or in December.
Chinese producers have likewise been unable to bridge the gap. The representative explained that inventories from Sinovac and Shenzhen Innovax have been depleted following deliveries of restricted amounts by both firms.
This deficit has provided an opening for vendors of suspected counterfeit vaccines to infiltrate the industry. The representative noted that the merchandise confiscated in Lahore seemed to be a fraudulent imitation of Influvac, an influenza vaccine linked to Abbott.
The Punjab drug control representative called on citizens to buy flu vaccines exclusively from authorized pharmacies. Furthermore, purchasers were instructed to verify the batch number and manufacturer seal of the product, and to confirm that vendors kept the proper cold chain intact throughout storage and transit.
