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Australian health authorities have issued an urgent public health alert following the detection of counterfeit batches of the rabies vaccine Abhayrab circulating in India. The alert, released by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) and state health departments, warns that travellers who received this vaccine in India since November 1, 2023, may be completely unprotected against the fatal virus.
The Scope of the Counterfeit Circulation
The falsified vaccine was first flagged by the manufacturer, Indian Immunologicals Limited, in early 2025 after discovering that counterfeiters were replicating genuine batch numbers, specifically Batch No. KA24014. While the genuine Abhayrab is a WHO-prequalified, highly effective vaccine, the counterfeit versions have been
found to differ significantly in their chemical formulation, packaging, and labelling. Authorities have identified the distribution of these fake vials in major Indian hubs, including Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Lucknow, although the full geographic extent of the circulation remains unknown.
Risk Assessment and Fatal Consequences
Rabies is a viral disease that attacks the central nervous system and is virtually 100% fatal once clinical symptoms appear. Because the counterfeit vaccine may lack the active viral antigen or may have been stored outside the required cold chain, it carries a high risk of treatment failure. ATAGI has stated that since it is nearly impossible for a patient to distinguish between a genuine and a fake vial based on sight alone, any dose of Abhayrab administered in India during the specified period should be considered invalid.
Directives for Travellers and Clinicians
The Australian government has advised anyone who received a rabies vaccine in India from November 1, 2023, onwards—and who was either given Abhayrab or is unsure of the brand—to consult a healthcare provider immediately. Affected individuals are being recommended for replacement doses using vaccines registered in Australia, such as Rabipur or Verorab.
For those currently travelling or planning to visit India, health officials suggest the following precautions:
Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP): Completing a full course of rabies vaccination in Australia before departure significantly simplifies treatment if an exposure occurs.
Documentation: If vaccinated abroad, travellers must take photos of the vaccine packaging and labels and keep a strict record of batch numbers and product names.
Animal Avoidance: Maintaining a safe distance from street dogs, monkeys, and other mammals remains the primary defence in endemic regions.
This alert follows a similar “look-back” exercise conducted by the UK Health Security Agency and the CDC earlier this year, after a rabies fatality was linked to a traveller who had sought treatment in India.
