Spurious Abhayrab anti-rabies vaccine detected in Delhi

New Delhi: India's apex drug regulator on Saturday confirmed detection of spurious anti-rabies shots, making it the second instance of discovering the counterfeit version of the indigenous vaccine Abhayrab within two years.

The Central Drug Standards and Control Organisation (CDSCO) said the spurious samples of Abhayrab were found by Delhi Police during a search at an unlicensed premise in north Delhi in April. Subsequent testing at Central Drug Laboratory (CDL), Kasauli have shown the vaccine as "misbranded and Not of Standard Quality."

The CDL recorded 17 differences between the counterfeit vial and genuine samples of the same batch supplied by the manufacturer to the laboratory for batch testing, Hyderabad-based vaccine maker Indian Immunological Limited said. Four persons have been arrested by Delhi Police.