Philippines aims to start ivermectin clinical trials for COVID-19 use this month —DOST

The Philippines is eyeing to start clinical trials of veterinary drug ivermectin as a COVID-19 treatment in the middle of September, a Department of Science and Technology (DOST) official said Wednesday, amid controversy over its use for this purpose.

In a House hearing scrutinizing the DOST's proposed 2022 budget, House Deputy Speaker Bernadette Herrera-Dy quizzed DOST officials on the long-overdue planned clinical trials on the anti-parasitic drug ivermectin.

Herrera-Dy is among the solons pushing for the use of the drug for the possible treatment or prevention of COVID-19.

In response, Executive Director Jaime Montoya of the DOST-Philippine Council for Health Research and Development said they are still waiting for approval from the ethics and review panel on the methodology of the study.

Nevertheless, Montoya said they have already prepared funds for the clinical trials, pending approval from its ethics and review panel.

'"Yung trial ang target date ay September 15. Doon po lalabas ang approval dahil binago po ang methodology upon advice of the International Clinical Trial Consortium, na nagkaroon ng issue ang pag-aaral na isinagawa na na-publish na," Montoya said.

[The target date is is September 15. The approval will be on that date because the methodology was changed upon advice of the International Clinical Trial Consortium as issued arose about a study after it was published.]

"At para hindi mangyari 'yung mga ganoong hindi natin gusto ng pangyayari, sinigurado natin ang metholodology ay tama," he added.

[To make sure that this will not happen, we will make sure that methodology is correct.]

Montoya cited a study in Egypt claiming benefits of ivermectin for COVID-19 patients. But the study was removed from publication because of issues of data manipulation and data validity.

Last April, DOST chief Fortunato dela Peña disclosed that they will pursue ivermectin clinical trials.

However, ivermectin manufacturer Merck has stated that there is “no scientific basis for a potential therapeutic effect [from ivermectin] against COVID-19 from pre-clinical studies."

Merck also said there was "no meaningful evidence for clinical activity or clinical efficacy in patients with COVID-19 and a concerning lack of safety data in the majority of studies."

Both the Department of Health and the Philippines' Food and Drug Administration have said current evidence finds ivermectin as not recommended for COVID-19 treatment. 

Earlier this year, the United States' Food and Drug Administration warned against using ivermectin for COVID-19. "[US] FDA has not approved ivermectin for use in treating or preventing COVID-19 in humans," it said. "Ivermectin is not an anti-viral." — BM, GMA News