A health worker shows a box containing a bottle of Ivermectin, a medicine authorized by the National Institute for Food and Drug Surveillance (INVIMA) to treat patients with mild, asymptomatic or suspicious COVID-19, as part of a study of the Center for Paediatric Infectious Diseases Studies, in Cali, Colombia, on July 21, 2020. (Photo by Luis ROBAYO / AFP)
MANILA, Philippines — Anakalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor, an advocate of ivermectin, urged the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to speed up clinical trials on the use of the controversial drug to treat COVID-19.
Defensor cited the urgency to address the pandemic in his call to hasten the clinical trials, adding that other drugs such as Remdesivir and Tocilizumab are “expensive” compared to ivermectin.
“Lives are at stake here. We could save many lives with the use of this popular P35-per-tablet experimental drug. The results of the trials ordered by President Duterte should be available soon,” Defensor said in a statement.
“The poor can afford a P35 drug. In the case of its two other rivals, they cost thousands, if one can find them in the market,” he added.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) earlier bared that President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the conduct of clinical trials to check the efficacy of ivermectin as COVID-19 treatment.
The World Health Organization (WHO) previously said there is no strong data to advocate ivermectin use against COVID-19.
“But the WHO is also against the use of Remdesivir, and yet the DOH and the Food and Drug Administration are promoting it. In fact, the DOH is spending millions in taxpayers’ money to procure Remdesivir and distribute it to government hospitals,” Defensor said.
“Can the DOH and FDA allow the use of ivermectin? Yes, they can, if they want to. In fact, the FDA is allowing it on a patient-to-patient basis. Why not permit its use on a wider scale so it would be available to more patients, especially the poor,” he added.
The FDA has, on numerous occasions, said that it is not against ivermectin, but wants to ensure that the drugs being approved in the country are safe.