President Duterte ordered FDA to study claims on the use of Ivermectin for COVID-19, according to Senator Go.
Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go said that President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to study the claims on the use of human grade Ivermectin for COVID-19.
According to a Manila Bulletin report, Senator Go said in a recent interview that there were suggestions on some discovered medicines and the President immediately forwarded it to the Food and Drug Administration for studies.
In addition, Senator Go said that they have to ensure first that those medicines — including Ivermectin — were safe because the lives of the Filipinos were at stake.
There were claims from some legislators that Ivermectin can help treat and prevent coronavirus infection although the Food and Drug Administration, as well as the World Health Organization (WHO), have said that the Ivermectin was not recommended for human intake yet as its efficacy as a coronavirus medication had yet to be proven.
Currently, Ivermectin was registered as a veterinary drug and only as a topical medication for external parasites and skin conditions of humans.
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According to Senator Go, President Duterte had instructed FDA Director-General Eric Domingo to study and to ensure that the Ivermectin was safe for humans.
“Pinagsabihan [ni Pangulong Duterte] si FDA Director General Eric Domingo na pag-aralan at siguraduhing safe [ang Ivermectin] at pwedeng gamitin ng tao. So antayin na lang natin. Parati naman namin pina-follow up si Domingo at mayroon nang mga nag-aapply,” Senator Go said.
Senator Go, who was the chairman of the Senate health and demography committee, clarified that he wasn’t advocating for the use of Ivermectin or any specific medicine to treat COVID-19, but was simply encouraging the government to have an open dialogue with proponents and to facilitate a thorough scientific study of those proposals.
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The senator also maintained that the use of such medicines should be in accordance with existing laws and regulations in order to ensure their safety and efficacy.
In addition, the senator emphasized that those rules and regulations were in place in order to protect the welfare of the public.
Senator Go called on the public to be cautious on the use of any medicine or medical treatment, saying that they must undergo the necessary scientific and regulatory procedures in order to be deemed effective and safe.
Moreover, Senator Go encouraged proponents of Ivermectin and other medicines to follow the prescribed process of the government in approving and regulating such drugs before it could be prescribed to patients.
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