Toronto conserving rabies vaccines, citing shortage in Ontario [Video]

Toronto Public Health says it is conserving its rabies vaccine supply due to a shortage in Ontario.

The health agency instructed doctors Thursday to start rationing the city’s remaining supply.

That means only high-risk exposures, such as direct contact with bats and wild animals, will be eligible.

Vaccine doses will also be adjusted to only offer the first two of the four rabies shots, and the latter ones will be provided once they get resupplied.

Two rabies vaccines are approved for use in Canada, and both have been experiencing shortages in recent months, according to a Health Canada website that monitors supply.

A shortage of RabAvert, produced by Bavarian Nordic, started in October and is expected to end by Feb. 14. Increased demand for the drug is cited as the reason.

Another brand called Imovax Rabies, from Sanofi Pasteur, faces a shortage due to a “delay in shipping” that started in June and is expected to be resolved this month.