Alert! Fake Covishield vaccines in India, WHO confirms.

World Health Organization has issued a medical alert over fake covishield vaccines in India. Manufacturer Serum Institute of India confirmed that the products listed in the alert are fake.

Doubts have arisen about the genuineness of Covishield reaching patients in India, with the country reporting circulation of fake vials of the covid-19 vaccine developed by Oxford-AstraZeneca and manufactured by Serum Institute of India (SII).

WHO on Tuesday issued a medical product alert referring to fake Covishield in South-East Asia and Africa. The fake products were reported to it in July and August, the apex global public health agency said.

“Falsified COVID-19 vaccines pose a serious risk to global public health and place an additional burden on vulnerable populations and health systems. It is important to detect and remove these falsified products from circulation to prevent harm to patients,” stated WHO in its alert.

The health agency urged India to increase vigilance on hospitals, clinics, health centres, wholesalers, distributors, pharmacies, and other suppliers of medical products. WHO has also asked for increased vigilance within supply chains of countries and regions likely to be affected by these fake products.

In case one has used and is suffering from adverse reactions, then they have been advised to seek immediate medical help and report the incident to national regulatory authorities.