Ivermectin

The fuss about Ivermectin is growing and getting louder by the day, what with our timelines filled with news of deaths after deaths people dying of COVID-19.

The Department of Health and the Food and Drug Administration have advised the public against the use of Ivermectin against the virus.

“Currently, the registered Ivermectin products in the country for human use are in topical formulations under prescription use only. This is used for the treatment of external parasites such as head lice and skin conditions such as rosacea,” the FDA said.

Ivermectin is not approved by the FDA for treatment of any viral infection, the regulator said.

The medical community is divided.

“Based on the current evidence from randomized control trials, we do not recommend the use of Ivermectin for the treatment of COVID-19. It has not been proven to significantly reduce mortality or improve other clinical outcomes,” said a joint statement by a group of medical professionals including the Philippine Society of Public Health Physicians.

But some doctors and businessmen are pushing for it, believing in the drug’s efficacy against COVID-19.

In these desperate times, when more and more people are dying of the virus and the daily tally of cases is climbing – now exceeding the 10,000 mark – one can’t just dismiss the growing clamor to allow the use of Ivermectin in the country.

I’m keeping an open mind and I strongly believe the DOH and the FDA should take a harder and more urgent look at this. Experts are backing it so I believe it’s worth taking a second and third look. The Anti-Red Tape Authority is likewise urging the FDA to expedite the processing of applications for the use of Ivermectin.

Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr., head of the Employers group of the Philippines, said the group is asking the government to approve it.

Fernando Martinez, chairman of Gazelle Motors and Eastern Petroleum Philippines, is also backing the use of Ivermectin.

Even lawmaker Mike Defensor said he took it when he tested positive COVID-19. He said the matter is best left to the experts but he shared his experience with ivermectin.

“During the course of my sickness, I took Ivermectin twice within the span of 14 days along with multivitamins, Lin Hua (for seven days), zinc, and fish oil vitamins. I regularly take multivitamins and fish oil even without sickness. From time to time, I took ibuprofen and paracetamol on the first seven days when I felt pain or discomfort which is normal for me when I have the yearly flu. I’ve had worse fever and flu sickness in the past and I would have functioned normally as I have in the past with sickness if not for the concern of spreading the COVID virus,” Defensor said.

He said the medicines and vitamins he took helped him recover.

“Which brings me to my point... Why (are) the FDA and the DOH gungho about putting Ivermectin out of the market when there is no proven cure? Will they also ban ibuprofen and paracetamol when people with COVID-19 also take them during sickness? The vaccines do not necessarily prevent COVID-19 and we still don’t have a cure. Why the aggression and tenacity against Ivermectin? Several friend doctors have asked us for supply and they intimated that a number more are looking albeit secretly. If doctors want it, I cannot say more since I am sure that they have made their own research on it,” Defensor said.

I also received this statement from the Concerned Doctors and Citizens of the Philippines (CDC).

“Today 22 percent of the world is already using Ivermectin to successfully fight COVID-19. Multiple studies and meta-analyses confirm the effectiveness of Ivermectin, a safe oral drug used for over 40 years for other illnesses in humans,” CDC said.

“Ivermectin is a cheap, safe and efficacious drug against COVID-19,” CDC maintained.

“It is our obligation as ethical and responsible doctors and citizens to urgently and highly recommend its use considering the on-going pandemic,” it added.

The Philippines, CDC said, with its scarce supply of vaccines, cannot just sit around, waiting while our countrymen continue to suffer the various consequences of this crisis.

Chinese herbal tea

In China, senior government officials and the state media have also been pushing a range of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) including herbal tea as being effective at alleviating COVID-19 symptoms and reducing deaths from the disease.

There is still no rigorous data on this, based on my quick research on the web.

I also hope doctors, scientists and other experts would speak up and share their knowledge on these supposedly alternative remedies against COVID-19. As we know by now, we cannot just rely on the government.

It’s a shared world and it’s a common enemy and we all must do everything to win this war.

Iris Gonzales’ email address is [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @eyesgonzales. Column archives at eyesgonzales.com