Pakistan is dealing with a flu vaccine shortage of genuine products after supplies from major international and Chinese manufacturers dried up, drug control officials said Wednesday, leaving the market exposed to suspected counterfeits.
An official from the Office of the Chief Drug Controller Punjab said vaccines from all major suppliers are currently unavailable. Abbott’s and Sanofi’s influenza vaccines are among those affected. Chinese producers have not closed the gap either: stocks from Sinovac and Shenzhen Innovax have run out after both firms supplied only limited quantities earlier.
What officials say about supply
The Punjab drug control official said Abbott might not send its flu vaccine to Pakistan at all this year. Sanofi, by contrast, might deliver only a limited quantity toward the end of November or in December. Until then, shoppers and clinics looking for recognised brands face empty shelves rather than a choice of products.
That scarcity is the core of the flu vaccine shortage: international and Chinese pipelines have slowed or stopped, and local channels have little authentic stock to offer.
Lahore seizure and arrests
Drug inspectors in Lahore have seized a large stock of suspected counterfeit flu vaccines and arrested two people linked to the case. The official said the seized product appeared to be a fake version of Influvac, a flu vaccine associated with Abbott.
Officials warn that the shortage has opened space for sellers of suspected counterfeit vaccines. When trusted brands are hard to find, unverified products can appear in informal sales channels, raising the risk that people receive something that is not a genuine shot.
How to buy more safely
The Punjab drug control official urged the public to buy flu vaccines only from licensed pharmacies. Buyers should check the product’s batch number and the manufacturer’s seal, and confirm that sellers kept the required cold chain—refrigerated storage and transport—so the vaccine was not left warm or mishandled.
Anyone offered a cheap or unmarked vial outside a licensed outlet should treat it with caution and ask a pharmacist or doctor before accepting it.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Pakistan mein asli flu vaccine ki kami ho gayi hai kyunke badi companies ka stock khatam ho raha hai. Lahore mein nakaam (fake) vaccine ka bada stock pakra gaya aur do log giraftar hue. Abbott is saal shayad vaccine na bheje; Sanofi November-December mein thodi si bhej sakti hai. Sirf licensed pharmacy se lein, batch number, seal aur thanda rakhne ka silsila check karein.
