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Vaccine and Immune Globulin Availability

Current Situation

Updated: February 9, 2015

Rabies Vaccine

  • No supply restrictions.
  • Rabies vaccine produced by Novartis (RabAvert) is available for pre-exposure (PreEP) and postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) from wholesale distributors.
  • Rabies vaccine produced by Sanofi Pasteur (IMOVAX) is available for PreEP and PEP.

Human Rabies Immune Globulin

  • Human rabies immune globulin produced by Sanofi Pasteur (Imogam) is currently restricted. Ordering is only as needed for PEP (see special order instructions).
  • Human rabies immune globulin produced by Grifols (HyperRAB) is available with no restrictions.

CDC continues to work with partners to monitor the status of rabies biologic supplies. Additional updates will be posted to this page as available. Subscribe to receive email notices of updates.


Recommended Preventive Measures Unaffected by Supply Restriction

  • Standard rabies exposure prevention messaging should be reinforced.
    • Pets and livestock should be vaccinated against rabies as recommended.
    • When possible, after an exposure, efforts should be made to safely capture the animal involved in the exposure and it should be held for observation (if a cat, dog, or ferret) or tested for rabies.
  • Health providers should consult with local/state public health departments to ensure appropriate use of PEP. See: State and local rabies consultation contacts
  • Persons at increased risk for rabies exposure should take appropriate precautions to avoid exposure and consider rabies pre-exposure prophylaxis according to: ACIP recommendations

syringe and vials of medicine

Disclaimer

* Use of trade names and commercial sources is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.


Special Instructions for Ordering

Human rabies immune globulin produced by Sanofi Pasteur (Imogam) can be ordered on an as needed basis. Request forms and instructions can be found here [PDF – 50 KB].

Previous Updates

June 6, 2013

Rabies Vaccine

  • No supply restrictions.
  • Rabies vaccine produced by Novartis (RabAvert) is available for pre-exposure (PreEP) and postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) from wholesale distributors.
  • Rabies vaccine produced by Sanofi Pasteur (IMOVAX) is available for PreEP and PEP.

Human Rabies Immune Globulin

  • Human rabies immune globulin produced by Sanofi Pasteur (Imogam) is currently restricted (see special order instructions).
  • Human rabies immune globulin produced by Grifols (HyperRAB) is available with no restrictions.

CDC continues to work with partners to monitor the status of rabies biologic supplies. Additional updates will be posted to this page as available. Subscribe to receive email notices of updates.

March 5, 2013

Rabies Vaccine

  • Rabies vaccine supplies are currently restricted.
  • Rabies vaccine produced by Novartis (RabAvert) is available for pre-exposure (PreEP) and postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) from wholesale distributors.
  • Rabies vaccine produced by Sanofi Pasteur (IMOVAX) is currently available for PEP only.
  • CDC continues to work with partners to monitor the status of the rabies vaccine supply.

Human Rabies Immune Globulin

  • Human rabies immune globulin supplies are currently adequate.

December 12, 2012

Human Rabies Immune Globulin

  • Human rabies immune globulin produced by Sanofi Pasteur (Imogam) is again available to order for postexposure prophylaxis (PEP).
  • Human rabies immune globulin produced by Grifols/Talecris Biotherapeutics (HyperRAB) will continue to be available for order as well.

Rabies Vaccine

  • No change in rabies vaccine availability has been reported.
  • Rabies vaccine produced by Novartis (RabAvert) is available for pre-exposure and PEP from wholesale distributors.
  • Rabies vaccine produced by Sanofi Pasteur (IMOVAX), is currently available for PEP only by direct supply to health care providers who are treating patients who have documented rabies exposure.

September 19, 2012

  • Sanofi Pasteur is currently directing requests for human rabies immune globulin to Grifols/Talecris Biotherapeutics, supplier of HyperRAB.
  • Sanofi Pasteur will be able to fulfill orders for Imogam (human rabies immune globulin) when additional lots are expected to be released by late November.
  • Grifols/Talecris Biotherapeutics is expected to meet demand of human rabies immune globulin until additional lots of Imogam become available from Sanofi Pasteur.

September 7, 2012

  • Rabies vaccine for pre-exposure use is available only from wholesale distributors who have existing stocks of RabAvert vaccine from Novartis.
  • At this time, there are no limitations in the supply of rabies immune globulin or vaccine for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).
  • Sanofi Pasteur, maker of IMOVAX (Rabies Vaccine), is currently unable to directly supply rabies vaccine for pre-exposure vaccination.
  • Sanofi Pasteur will continue to supply rabies vaccine for PEP to health care providers who are treating patients who have had documented rabies exposures.
  • Novartis, makers of RabAvert (Rabies Vaccine), is also currently unable to directly supply rabies vaccine for pre-exposure vaccination.
  • Additional lots of RabAvert and IMOVAX are expected to be released in the coming months. These lots are expected to return supplies to normal levels.
  • There are ongoing discussions among federal, state, and local public health personnel to continue evaluation of the current supply of rabies biologics and review additional strategies as necessary.
  • Contact information for RabAvert wholesalers/distributors that have supplies available for pre-exposure vaccination or PEP as of September 11, 2012 is provided below. Additional lots of RabAvert, expected to meet current demand, are being released to distributors over the next couple of weeks.

* Please note that this list may not be complete.

McKesson
(415) 983-8300

Amerisource Bergen
(610) 727-7000

Cardinal
(614) 757-5000

Medico Mart
(800) 242-6248

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