FDA recalls faulty rabies vaccines partly blamed for epidemic
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recalled and destroyed substandard rabies vaccines, which have been partly blamed for the current spread of rabies, in late 2016.
FDA deputy secretary-general Dr Surachoke Tangwiwat admitted on Sunday that three batches of vaccines were found to be substandard.
“These rabies vaccines were imported from Spain. As soon as we found that their potency was below standard, we recalled and destroyed them in late 2016,” he said. “We have already taken legal actions against importers.”
The problem was detected after the Institute of Biological Products at the Public Health Ministry’s Department of Medical Sciences checked the batches, and then the FDA confirmed the quality of the vaccines was below standard.
However, Surachoke said all vaccines on the market currently were in line with proper standards.
“We have constantly monitored product quality. If we find anything dangerous, we will immediately alert the public,” he said.
Surachoke also urged people to alert the FDA if they detected hazardous products by calling the 1556 hotline or via the Oryor Smart Application.
This year, more than 400 people were infected with rabies, resulting in several deaths.