House health panel chair stands by WHO, health authorities on Ivermectin use

MANILA, Philippines — The chairperson of the House committee on health on Tuesday said that while the panel included the use of anti-parasitic drug Ivermectin in discussions at its hearing on the COVID-19 pandemic, she cannot support its use in relation to the coronavirus.

Rep. Angelina "Helen" Tan (Quezon)'s comments came after a congressman announced Monday that his office will make Ivermectin accessible to Quezon City residents who want it.

Neither a doctor or a scientist, Rep. Mike Defensor (Anakalusugan party-list) in recent weeks has publicly declared support for the drug, saying it helped him when he contracted COVID-19.

Significantly, the congressman's claims go against several warnings by the Department of Health and the Food and Drug Administration, who have said that Ivermectin could be highly toxic to humans. It would also still need to undergo clinical trials to see if it can help against COVID-19, Philippine experts as well as the World Health Organization have said there is no siginificant evidence to say that it does.

READ: Quick questions—and answers—on anti-parasitic drug Ivermectin

Tan, in a letter to Philstar.com, sought to make clear that she could not "in any manner, support [Ivermectin] use" for purposes beyond prescripted human use and for treating parasites in animals. 

"As a medical doctor, I am constrained to abide by the health science as well as the recognized authorities in the field of medicine," Tan said. "I am particularly guided with the position of the World Health Organization, which already raised caution for the use of Ivermectin as a treatment for COVID-19."

She added that she supports the call of Speaker Lord Allan Velasco (Marinduque) for the DOH and the FDA to inform the public of their possible options for COVID-19 treatment and prevention.

To recall, WHO country representative Rabindra Abeyasinghe warned that allowing the use of Ivermectin without concrete evidence could lead to a false confidence among those who would take it.

The DOH has since said that they have referred Defensor's planned drug distribution to the FDA's enforcement unit.

It remains to be seen, however, if the local regulator would show teeth and file charges against persons figuring in COVID-19-related controversies. 

There has been no accountability over the illegal Sinopharm inoculations of members of the Presidential Security Group, columnist Mon Tulfo and government officials late last year as the FDA admitted that its probe has not made progress. — Christian Deiparine

Related Stories

Using anti-parasitic drug Ivermectin to treat COVID-19 dangerous — DOH, FDA

No significant evidence Ivermectin can help vs COVID-19, WHO warns

DOH repeats warning vs Ivermectin as lawmaker plans distribution