Since the emergence of COVID-19 and its immunisation programmes worldwide, there have been over 184 public domain reports across 48 countries of diverted and substandard or falsified COVID-19 vaccines, according to a Medicine Quality report.
To address this global health issue of falsified and substandard medical products, the World Health Organization (WHO) member states adopted a prevent, detect, and respond strategy, to ensure the public are effectively protected from COVID-19 and trust in vaccines.
In line with WHO strategy, a multidisciplinary and multi-institutional research consortium has developed a new method of detecting falsified vaccines, which was published on October 20, 2023, in Vaccine.
The study demonstrates the viability of handheld Spatially Offset Raman Spectroscopy (SORS) to rapidly authenticate COVID-19 vaccines through unopened vaccine vials.
SORS performs chemical analysis by shining a laser light into an intact vial of the vaccine and inspecting the light emanating from the vial to indicate the presence of different ingredients.
In a statement, Dr Rob Stokes, field detection marketing director at Agilent Technologies, who acquired the SORS technology in 2017, said: “SORS technology, and the inherent sensitivity of the optical design… not only advances vaccine authentication but also sets the stage for future high sensitivity analysis within sealed containers across diverse fields.”
SORS devices are currently used to screen for hazardous substances at airports and used widely by fire officers, military, border protection and law enforcement. It is reported that minor modifications in sample compartment and software adaption are required for deployment to identify falsified vaccines.
Professor John Collier, director of the STFC Central Laser Facility, said: “Since first being developed at the STFC Central Laser Facility, this innovative technology continues to find new areas of application which could now include empowering governments and healthcare organisations to safeguard public health.
“It is a prime example of the enormous benefits of responding to global health challenges with strategic technological innovation.”
Although this study focusses only on COVID-19 vaccines, the method it describes may also be used for authenticating other vaccines, liquid, and solid medicines.
Further research is said to be needed, with more vaccines, to evaluate the technology’s effectiveness at various points in supply chains.
The full study, and list of contributing experts, can be read in the latest edition of Vaccine.
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