MANILA, Philippines — A vaccine summit organized by business groups shifted to discussions on the controversial drug ivermectin, with the president of the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (Ecop) expressing his frustration at drug regulators for “blocking” the use of the antiparasitic drug to treat COVID-19.
The three-hour online summit held on Friday was organized by the International Chamber of Commerce and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Dr. Allan Landrito, an ivermectin advocate and founder of Concerned Doctors and Citizens of the Philippines, spoke during the panel discussion.
“It’s really helping a lot in terms of prevention and treatment of COVID-19,” Landrito said.
But the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has yet to approve the use of ivermectin, either as COVID prophylaxis or treatment.
Landrito said he had given ivermectin to people, of whom 95 percent showed that it was safe and effective in achieving “natural immunity” to the virus.
Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr., president of Ecop, said several countries had been using ivermectin, yet the FDA had “made it criminal to use ivermectin” in the Philippines.
“Why go [to great] lengths of blocking it?” he asked.