Filtered By: Topstories
News

House-to-house distribution of ivermectin to proceed amid gov't warnings


The distribution of ivermectin house-to-house will proceed despite the warnings agencies of government have issued against its use for the treatment of COVID-19, Anakalusugan party-list Representative Mike Defensor has said.

According to Cedric Castillo's report on "24 Oras", the house-to-house distribution will be done to prevent a gathering of people at a particular venue which would make the transmission of the virus more probable.

"Pre-processed na 'yon. We will utilize our e-platforms," Defensor said of his group's registration of potential recipients of ivermectin. 

The Department of Health earlier vowed to take action against the distribution of ivermectin after Defensor and Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta handed out the unregistered drug in Quezon City last week.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the DOH would “uphold the law” in addressing the distribution of ivermectin.

Over the weekend, Defensor asked the DOH to spare the doctors who issued ivermectin prescriptions on a sheet of paper and not on a prescription pad for his project with Marcoleta.

The DOH already forwarded reports of invalid prescriptions to the Professional Regulation Commission last week.

The Food and Drug Administration has also started looking into the matter.

The two lawmakers distributed ivermectin despite repeated warnings from health authorities that it has not been proven to treat COVID-19.

FDA director general Eric Domingo has said the project would be legal if there would be doctors to prescribe ivermectin and the drug would be compounded by a licensed pharmacy.

The World Health Organization, US FDA, European Medicines Agency, and ivermectin manufacturer Merck do not support the use of the anti-parasitic drug on COVID-19 patients based on current data.

Dr. Benigno Agbayani, president of the Concerned Doctors and Citizens of the Philippines, said recent studies had shown the effectiveness of ivermectin in the treatment of ivermectin among humans.

"If they want to convince their fellow doctors not to prescribe a drug, then they should try using clinical studies and read world data," Agbayani said.

"In the meantime, a meta-analysis from the FLCCC was recently published showing ivermectin works both a s a prophylaxis and treatment against COVID-19," he added. —Ma. Angelica Garcia/NB, GMA News

LOADING CONTENT