DOH cautions vs ivermectin use anew after US FDA warning
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health on Monday doubled down on its advice against treating coronavirus patients with ivermectin, following authorities in the United States' reminder also not to use it.
Select groups and individuals in the Philippines have been touting the anti-parasitic drug as a treatment or preventive measure against COVID-19.
But that's against repeated warnings by officials that there remains no evidence that ivermectin would work in that way, and could instead pose harmful effects.
"DOH is not recommending ivermectin and we continue to remind the public against its use," Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire told a briefing in Filipino.
The comments came after the US Food and Drug Administration sought to address reports of people being poisoned after taking ivermectin pills for treating worms in horses.
"Evidence has shown it does not give you any benefit in preventing, shortening the duration of hospitalization," Vergeire said, "or the progression of your disease when you have COVID-19."
She added in Filipino: "This medicine has side effects that could be harmful to your body." Vergeire said, too, that the public should only take registered medicines and those recommended by the DOH.
Ivermectin's use in the Philippines has been encouraged by certain individuals, particularly by some lawmakers who led a distribution of the drug to locals.
The Department of Justice called the move as "on its face" a violation of the law, but no one has been held responsible over it to date.
Philippine laws prohibit the distribution, among others, of unregistered drugs.
Asked on the progress of investigations, Vergeire said they have met with agencies but did not give anything specific.
"We leave it at that because it is still being processed but we have already coordinated with them," she said.
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