DOH warns against off-label ivermectin use

The Department of Health on Saturday warned against the off-label use of the anti-parasitic drug ivermectin.

“Lumabas na po ang [Certificate of Product Registration] ng ivermectin and specific po ang CPR for anti-parasitic purposes,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said during the Laging Handa briefing.

(The Certificate of Product Registration for ivermectin has been released and the CPR is specific for anti-parasitic purposes.)

“So kung sakaling gagamitin yang ivermectin ng ibang doctor, it would be an off-label at ang accountability and the liability will rest upon the physician who was prescribing,” she added.

(In case doctors will use it for other purposes, then it would be off-label use. The accountability and the liability will rest upon the physician who was prescribing.)

On Friday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it approved one local company’s application to register ivermectin as a treatment against roundworms.

The antiparasitic drug became controversial in the Philippines after some groups and even lawmakers claimed that it can prevent or can be used to treat COVID-19.

However, both the FDA and the Department of Health have it made clear that current evidence does not support the use of ivermectin as a COVID-19 treatment.

The World Health Organization, US FDA, European Medicines Agency, and ivermectin manufacturer Merck also do not recommend the use of the drug on COVID-19 patients.

A local clinical trial for ivermectin will be held this year to study its impact on COVID-19. — DVM, GMA News