Counterfeit and substandard medicines and vaccines are a significant global health problem worldwide impacting millions of people and risking their health and safety.
Unfortunately many travellers are unaware of this risk and the importance of completing vaccination courses before travel and packing a medical kit with appropriate first aid and medications. None of us like to think that an accident or illness could happen to us abroad and it is very easy to be tempted to buy medication abroad as it is often cheaper; however we are all too often unaware of the risks.

Counterfeit vaccines

Counterfeit vaccines are widely reported abroad in many countries. Over the years there have been reports of fake vaccines including Yellow fever, Hepatitis B, Rabies and Covid 19. Often these vaccines are just made up ineffective substances such as saline or distilled water but they can also be made up of unregulated and harmful ingredients. These counterfeit vaccines provide no protection against disease and potentially cause significant harm.

A most recent alert has been posted on the UK health security agency (UKHSA) regarding falsified rabies vaccine ‘Abhayrab’ (batch no KA24014) by Indian Immunologicals Limited that has been circulating in India from January 2025. For travellers who have received pre or post exposure rabies vaccines in India, it is important to check records to see if any rabies vaccines received are by the brand Abhayrab. Advice is to contact your GP with any concerns so they can assist you to ensure you are fully protected. There is still a potential risk of rabies infection if the vaccination was counterfeit.

If you do need to complete vaccination courses abroad be mindful of the risks. It is important to plan how, when and where you are going to receive these. The ISTM Travel clinic directory is a useful resource that provides a list of reputable travel clinics in some countries abroad. It is important to note that not all countries are listed.

Counterfeit medication

The World Health Organization has reported At least 1 in 10 medicines in low- and middle-income countries are substandard or falsified with incidence greater in countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America. Tablets, syrup, and capsules are those most commonly counterfeited and include common medications such as painkillers (paracetamol) antibiotics and antimalarials. It is important to note that these medicines are required by many travellers. Some of these drugs, particularly antimalarials and painkillers can contain too much or too little of the drug which can cause serious harm.

There is absolutely no reason to go unprepared. All travellers should carry a suitable medical kit including painkillers, first aid items, diarrhoea treatment and other medicines. Nomad has a range of medical kits to suit all types of travellers which can be purchased in clinic. These medical kits are already made up and ready to be packed away in your backpack or case so there is no need to waste time searching or shopping around for individual items.

Antimalarials should always be purchased through a reputable travel health clinic like Nomad prior to travel. When purchased from our travel health clinic you will receive comprehensive advice on malaria risk, prevention and the most suitable antimalarial for you and your destination. We will also ensure you have the correct number of tablets required for your trip so you don’t run out.

If it is an absolute necessity to purchase medications abroad, do not purchase from open markets or suspicious pharmacies. Look out for poor quality printing, misspelled words and packaging of medicines. Possible signs of counterfeit medicines that are in pill form can be discolouration, splits and spots. Remember they can also often look like the real thing. So not always easy to spot.

If any medications are purchased and taken, or vaccines received in country, it is important to be alert to any unexpected drug reactions and seek medical attention immediately.

A local British embassy may be able to provide a list of reliable medical facilities and pharmacies in the area and the ISTM travel clinic directory may also be able to support your search.

Think ahead. Allow time to complete vaccination courses prior to travel where possible, take all your own medicines with you when travelling and avoid purchasing them in country.

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/substandard-and-falsified-medical-products
https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/news/867/falsified-rabies-vaccine-india
https://www.istm.org/clinic-directory/