Switzerland has no vaccines against rabies. Until February 2026, the vaccines from the mandatory warehouses will only be distributed for vital treatments, as the Federal Office for the Economic Supply of the State (BWL) announced on Friday.
The focus is on people who have been bitten by an animal, but also on people who have been exposed at work. This includes people who work in veterinary medicine or animal care, according to company records.
There will be no rabies vaccine available in mandatory travel medicine warehouses until at least February 2026. During a severe shortage, no vaccines would be released to them from the mandatory warehouses. This will ensure that the necessary vaccines are available for the two essential treatments.
According to the BWL, in a normal supply situation, a larger proportion of rabies vaccines are used for travel medicine. For some high-risk countries, preventive rabies vaccination is recommended but not required. It makes sense depending on the country, duration and type of travel to remote areas. Travel medicine can continue to carry out these vaccinations with free goods.
The most common transmission of rabies is caused by animal bites. Infectious saliva from animals can also become contaminated, for example through superficial skin lesions.
There are two providers of rabies vaccines in Switzerland. According to the BWL, both have to use mandatory camps since the end of 2023. Deliveries have been delayed – and there is a global shortage. The mandatory stock must therefore be sufficient until the bottlenecks are overcome.
The regulations on the mandatory storage release of vaccines for human medicine have therefore been adjusted accordingly. It comes into effect on February 26. According to the BWL, the supply situation is expected to decline within about two years.
The goods are released from the mandatory warehouse in small quantities. This ensures it is only used for vital treatments, the BWL said. As soon as mandatory stock items come on the market, the cantonal doctors inform the medical profession that their intended use is limited. (sda)
Source: Blick
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