The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan has issued urgent alerts over counterfeit influenza vaccines being supplied in the country under the names of two well-known multinational brands, warning that the fake doses could put public health at serious risk. The regulator says the counterfeit vaccines are being sold as Influvac Tetra and Vaxigrip Tetra, and the companies whose names appear on the packaging have confirmed that the products are not genuine.
The warning arrives at a worrying moment. Flu season is approaching, hospitals in Karachi have already reported a surge in influenza cases, and genuine flu vaccines have been difficult to find across Pakistan in recent weeks. That combination of rising illness and scarce legitimate supply creates exactly the conditions in which fake products can spread.
For many families, a flu vaccine is a routine winter precaution, especially for older people, young children, pregnant women and those with long-term conditions. A genuine vaccine is made under strict controls and kept at the correct temperature throughout, while a counterfeit one passes through none of those safeguards: its contents and storage history are unknown, and it may offer no protection at all.
Batches Identified
According to DRAP, Vaxigrip Tetra batch Y4B34 is counterfeit and was never officially imported into Pakistan. Its packaging lists Sanofi Winthrop, France, as the manufacturer, and it was Sanofi’s local distributor that first alerted the authorities after the suspicious product came to light. The regulator has issued a rapid alert for this batch, dated 27 October 2026, and has asked its field force and provincial drug control departments to watch the supply chain and confiscate the product wherever it is found.
Fake Influvac Tetra vaccines from batch P13 have also been found in Lahore. Their packaging lists Abbott Biologicals, Netherlands, as the manufacturer. Abbott Laboratories and Sanofi Winthrop, the companies whose names appear on the packaging, have confirmed that the vaccines are fake, and DRAP issued a separate rapid alert for batch P13 on 30 October 2026, following a case registered by a provincial drug inspector in Lahore concerning its alleged supply, including through online channels.
The two alerts must not be confused with a warning against flu vaccination in general. DRAP has named two specific batches only; genuine vaccines from these manufacturers remain legitimate when they come through authorised channels. The danger lies in the named batches and in any vaccine bought from an unverified seller.
Serious Safety Concerns
The regulator has warned that the quality, efficacy and safety of the counterfeit vaccines are unknown, and that their use may pose serious safety and quality risks to public health. A falsified vaccine may fail to provide the protection a person expects, leaving them exposed to influenza while believing they are safe, and it could also expose them to unknown substances or contamination. Doctors have been urged not to prescribe the named batches.
Doctors, distributors and pharmacies have been told to report any suspected fake vaccines to DRAP immediately, and citizens have been asked to report any side effects to the National Pharmacovigilance Centre. Such reports help regulators trace where fake products are circulating, so anyone offered a suspected counterfeit should keep the packaging and note the batch number, the seller and the date.
The wider context makes vigilance even more important. Reports in late October described a shortage of genuine flu vaccines across Pakistan, with stocks from Chinese manufacturers exhausted and multinational supplies expected only in November or December, a delay federal ministers have linked to a pending decision on revised vaccine prices. Drug inspectors in Lahore have already seized a large quantity of suspected counterfeit flu vaccines and arrested two people allegedly involved in their sale.
Provinces Told to Seize Stock
DRAP has directed provincial authorities to take emergency measures to stop the supply chain, trace the source of the counterfeit vaccines, and confiscate the affected batches. Provincial drug control departments and field enforcement teams have been instructed to seize the identified batches from the market without delay, and healthcare professionals have been advised to check suppliers and batch details rather than assuming a familiar brand name guarantees authenticity.
For the public, the practical advice is straightforward. Buy flu vaccines only from licensed pharmacies and authorised outlets, never from social media sellers or other unverified sources, and check the batch number against the regulator’s alerts. Be wary of prices that seem unusually low, and treat any vaccine offered without proper refrigeration with suspicion, since vaccines must be kept under temperature-controlled conditions known as the cold chain.
The episode also points to a broader problem beyond one winter’s flu vaccines. In the same week, laboratory testing in Sindh declared several batches of commonly used medicines counterfeit, after samples were found to lack their stated active ingredients, showing that falsified products are not limited to vaccines and that routine checking of the medicine supply remains essential.
Until legitimate flu vaccine supplies improve, the safest course is patience combined with caution: wait for a licensed pharmacy or a trusted healthcare provider, verify the batch, and report anything suspicious. A genuine vaccine obtained a little later is far better than a fake one obtained quickly.
