DOH warns against unregistered rabies vaccines

Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa on Thursday warned the public against rabies vaccines not registered with the Food and Drug Administration and being sold at a very low price.

"We have discovered there are vaccines coming in that are not registered with FDA. In fact, I had a meeting yesterday with the Bureau of Quarantine, the FDA and CIDG because we have discovered, there are private vaccine facilities, iyong tinatawag na animal bite center, iyon iyong private na nagbebenta at an alarmingly low price ng bakuna," Herbosa said during a Palace briefing.

He said they believe the vaccines were smuggled since they are not registered with the FDA.

"Ang tawag namin doon (We call these), contraband. Whether they are real or not, if they didn't pass through the FDA, hindi dapat iyon maibenta (these should not be sold)," he said.

Herbosa said the public should be wary because these vaccines, if given to those bitten by animal with rabies, would not be effective as these are either fake or have insufficient dose.  

He said authorities will be conducting inspections on animal bite centers in the coming days. 

"That is the reason pinapa-strengthen namin itong panghuli and baka by a few days from now, makarinig tayo ng mga establishment na mati-check sila kung mayroon talaga silang vaccine," he said.

(That is the reason we strengthen the inspections and arrests and maybe in a few days, we will hear authorities checking establishments.)

Rabies cases on the rise

The Health chief also revealed that rabies deaths have doubled in the past year—from 200 in 2023 to 400 in 2024. He said 52% of those cases involved pets owned by families who had not vaccinated their animals.

“This is why we’re pushing for responsible pet ownership,” Herbosa said. 

He said that vaccinating animals is a cheaper and a more effective way to prevent rabies. The post-exposure treatment for humans can cost as much as ?4,000 per dose.

“Every March, we campaign for dog and cat vaccination. It only costs about ?100, and in some areas, local governments even provide it for free.”

“We’re only allowed to purchase vaccines for humans, not animals. It’s the LGUs or the Bureau of Animal Industry that are authorized to buy anti-rabies vaccines for pets,” he added.

Asked about the case of a six-year-old child who died even after completing the anti-rabies shots, Herbosa said there is still a small chance a person may die if the treatment is delayed, the virus is aggressive, or the dosage is insufficient.

“Yes, it’s possible. It depends on the severity of the rabies strain, the timing of the shots, and even where the person was bitten. If the bite is near the head or hands, it’s considered high-risk—even if the dog was vaccinated,” he explained.

Herbosa shared a tragic example of a girl who documented her rabies symptoms online after hiding a scratch from her parents. “It was heartbreaking. All of these rabies deaths are preventable if only the pets had been vaccinated,” he said.

He urged media and local communities to spread the message: “If you have pets, please vaccinate them. It could save someone’s life.”

Aside from pet-related cases, about 47% of rabies deaths in 2024 came from contact with stray animals. Herbosa warned parents and children not to approach unfamiliar dogs and cats, no matter how friendly they appear.

He recounted a case involving a Swedish tourist who played with a stray kitten in Cebu and later died of rabies in Sweden—after medical teams there failed to diagnose her condition in time.

While post-exposure treatment is still effective up to several days or even weeks after a bite, early intervention is ideal.  

"We recommend immediate wound cleaning, anti-tetanus shots, and rabies prophylaxis—especially for bites on the face, hands, or other vulnerable areas,” said Herbosa.

The DOH also encouraged LGUs to allocate more resources for animal vaccination programs and promote community efforts like mobile vet clinics or donation drives.

Herbosa appealed to the public: “Let’s end rabies deaths in the country. The simplest and most effective way is to ensure every pet is vaccinated every year.”

For more information on DOH rabies prevention efforts, visit https://doh.gov.ph —Sherylin Untalan/AOL, GMA Integrated News