MANILA, Philippines — The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an urgent warning against suspected counterfeit anti-rabies vaccines being sold in Central Luzon, following a tragic incident involving the death of an eight-year-old child.
In a report released on Thursday evening, February 12, 2026, the FDA revealed that an investigation by its North Luzon Cluster uncovered a network of drugstores and a distributor selling unregulated and improperly stored biological products.
The Triggering Incident The probe was launched following the death of an eight-year-old patient on February 2 in Aurora. The child had reportedly been bitten by an animal and was administered anti-rabies shots purchased by the parents from local drugstores.
- Equirab Counterfeits: Authorities discovered suspected counterfeit units of “Equirab” anti-rabies vaccines. These units carried batch numbers already flagged in FDA Advisory No. 2025-1415.
- Clinical Complication: FDA Spokesperson Khay Magundayao noted that the biting animal was killed by its owner the day after the incident, which prevented proper observation and may have impacted the clinical management of the case.
Violations Discovered A subsequent raid on a distributor in San Isidro, Nueva Ecija, and inspections of drugstores near the Aurora Memorial Hospital revealed severe breaches of safety protocols:
- Cold Chain Breaches: Vaccines were found stored in household refrigerators alongside non-pharmaceutical products, a “critical violation” that compromises the safety and efficacy of biologicals.
- Lack of Documentation: Establishments were unable to provide valid procurement or distribution records, making the source of the vaccines untraceable.
- Storage Deficiencies: The Nueva Ecija distributor lacked the specialized equipment required for high-risk products like vaccines.
Agency Response The FDA is currently verifying product samples to determine if the suspected counterfeit vaccines were directly responsible for the patient’s death. However, the agency emphasized that the multiple handling and traceability violations alone pose a severe risk to public health.
The FDA has reiterated its warning to the public to purchase high-risk medications and vaccines only from reputable, FDA-licensed establishments. It also reminded healthcare providers to strictly adhere to cold chain requirements to ensure that life-saving vaccines remain effective.