Warning out vs fake drug

Health authorities have warned the public against fake meningitis vaccines.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued the warning after the World Health Organization (WHO) released a medical product alert regarding the fake vaccines that have been circulating in West Africa.

“All health care professionals and the general public are hereby warned to be vigilant of the falsified lots and batches of the meningitis vaccines that may reach the Philippine market. These identified products pose potential danger or injury to the consuming public,” the FDA said in an advisory posted on its website.

Based on FDA records, Mencevax ACW 50-doses vial and Mencevax ACWY 50-doses vial are unregistered products.

Included in the WHO medical product alert are Mencevax ACW (50 doses/vial) with batch number AMENA020AA, Mencevax ACWY (50 doses/vial) with batch number AMEHA020AA, and Diluent with batch number A003B128AA.

According to the FDA, pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline Philippines Inc. confirmed the products were not included in its importation.

In a separate advisory, the FDA warned against falsified meningitis vaccines Menomune ACY-W135 (10 doses/vial) with batch numbers UH301AA (with expiry dates 29 April 2017 and 28 February 2016) and UH299AA; and diluent for Menomune with batch numbers UH262AA and D0953-1.

The product batches were not imported by Sanofi Pasteur Inc., the FDA said.

FDA field officers were ordered to seize the products if found in the market.

Based on FDA records, the registered Meningococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine, Group A, C, Y and W-135 (Menomune-A/C/Y/W-135 Powder for Injection (SC) 10 ml vial (10 doses) has registration number BR-623. Sanofi Pasteur reported that the last importation was in September 2011.