FDA: 6 hospitals now have special permit to use ivermectin

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MANILA, Philippines — Another hospital in the country has been granted a compassionate use permit (CSP) to use human-grade ivermectin to treat COVID-19 patients, bringing to six the number of hospitals given permit by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

FDA director general Eric Domingo declined to release the names of the hospitals with CSPs since the agency “doesn’t want to violate the privacy of the patients who are there in the hospitals.”

“Six hospitals na yata ang may CSP for ivermectin. They are private hospitals and not only in Metro Manila. Some are in the provinces din… The hospitals can freely identify themselves. We’re not stopping them,” he said in a Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum.

“That means the doctors in the hospitals can prescribe it [ivermectin],” he added.

Domingo reiterated that the ivermectin, an antiparasitic drug, cannot be sold commercially yet since a CSP is not a marketing authorization.

While doctors in the hospitals are allowed to prescribe the drug, consent from patients is still required, and they should also be informed that the drug is still an investigational product and being used only for compassionate use.

Hospitals also have to report monthly to the FDA on the patients they’ve used the drug on, and its outcomes.

“All of them are using protocols with patients with mild to moderate COVID-19,” Domingo said.

EDV