Listen to experts, not ‘conspiracy theories,’ on use of ivermectin for COVID-19, says Vico Sotto

A senior citizen of Matandang Balara in Quezon City receives ivermectin capsules distributed by Representatives Mike Defensor and Rodante Marcoleta on Thursday, April 29, 2021. The DOH on Wednesday reiterated that only hospitals that had been granted special permits could use the veterinary antiparasitic drug ivermectin on COVID-19 patients.-INQUIRER/GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

MANILA, Philippines — Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto on Friday urged the public to listen to medical experts on the use of the antiparasitic drug ivermectin for the treatment and prevention of COVID-19.

“Ang payo ko lang, o hinihikayat ko po yung mga mamamayan, ‘wag tayong masyadong ano sa mga conspiracy theory. Relax, relax lang po tayo sa mga conspiracy theory. Yung mga gamot na tine-take natin, yung mga prine-prescribe ng mga doktor, dumadaan yan sa matinding proseso. Hindi ‘yan basta basta,” Sotto said in a media forum hosted by the Department of Health (DOH).

(My advice is, or what I’m calling on the public to do, is not to be too into conspiracy theories. Let’s relax a bit on the conspiracy theories. The medicine that we take, the medicine being prescribed by doctors goes through a thorough process, it’s evaluated with caution.)

“Just because there’s a little bit of positive news or a little bit of possibility or may nakitang kaunting scientific basis, ‘di yun sapat para sabihin na ‘OK na ‘yan, pwede na ‘yan.’ Hindi tayo mga doktor, hindi tayo mga medical expert, makinig tayo sa kanila,” he added.

(Just because there’s a little bit of positive news or a little bit of possibility or there’s a bit of scientific basis, it’s not enough to say that ‘This is OK, we can give this out.’ We are not doctors, we are not medical experts, we should listen to them.)

Sotto issued these reminders after two lawmakers distributed ivermectin capsules to Quezon City residents, despite warnings from health authorities that it is not recommended for COVID-19 use due to lack of strong data.

Earlier, the DOH reminded the public that only hospitals that were granted special permits could give ivermectin to COVID-19 patients since there is no ivermectin drug registered in the country for human use.

So far, the FDA has granted compassionate special permits to five hospitals, allowing them to use the anti-parasitic drug to people who have COVID-19.

Taguig City Mayor Lino Cayetano, who also attended the forum, also stressed the need to follow the recommendations of health experts and officials on the use of any medicine for COVID-19 treatment and prevention.

“I keep reading comments on ivermectin and I just want to make a statement. We listen to the medical experts. So ‘pag dumating po ang panahon na inaprubahan ng [So when the time comes that it is approved by the] FDA (Food and Drug Administration), ‘pag inaprubahan ho yan ng [if it’s already been approved by the] Department of Health, by all means we will not just support it, we will advocate it, we will buy it,” Cayetano said.

“Kami ho pinapaubaya namin sa mga eksperto [We are relying on our experts], what the FDA says and what the Department of Health says, we will accept, we will abide and we will follow,” he added.

/MUF