Pakistan Faces Nationwide Flu Vaccine Shortage; Suspected Counterfeit Stock Seized in Lahore

ISLAMABAD:Pakistan is facing a shortage of seasonal influenza vaccines, with drug control authorities expecting limited supplies from multinational pharmaceutical companies to become available by late November or December.

According to officials, the limited stocks of flu vaccines supplied by Chinese companies have also been exhausted in the market.

The shortage has raised concerns about attempts to sell counterfeit vaccines. In Lahore, drug inspectors conducted a raid and recovered a large quantity of suspected counterfeit flu vaccines bearing the name of a well-known multinational pharmaceutical company.

Authorities arrested two individuals allegedly involved in selling the suspected counterfeit vaccines and registered a case against them.

Officials said laboratory tests and further investigations were under way to determine the authenticity of the recovered vaccines.

Meanwhile, authorities have advised citizens to purchase flu vaccines only from licensed pharmacies. They have also urged consumers to verify batch numbers and ensure that the vaccines have been stored under proper cold-chain conditions.

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