Abhayrab, the fake rabies vaccine circulating since 2023

The Australian authorities issued an advisory on December 29, 2025, warning about the a counterfeit rabies vaccine that had been circulating in India since late 2023. The UK and the US have also released similar advisories. A counterfeit batch of Abhayrab, a rabies vaccine manufactured by government-owned Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL), has once again highlighted serious gaps in India’s drug regulations. If not treated in time, rabies is 100% fatal. The infection is transmitted through the saliva of infected animals, leading to symptoms ranging from fever, headache, and nausea, to excessive salivation, fear of water, hallucinations, and partial paralysis. It is therefore advised to take rabies shots when people are bitten, scratched, or have had open wounds salivated on by dogs, cats, monkeys, and bats. Individuals who may have received the counterfeit vaccine might not be fully protected against rabies and are advised to take replacement doses as a precaution. The IIL said that the issue was confined to a single counterfeit batch —KA24014—manufactured in March 2024 and set to expire in February 2027. The batch was identified earlier this month and the product was no longer available for sale anymore, said the company. Abhayrab accounts for nearly 40% of India’s rabies vaccine market. No public alerts on either the CDSCO or IIL websites were found regarding the counterfeit vaccine.