Just like former Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, Senate President Tito Sotto III disclosed he is also taking the anti-parasitic drug ivermectin once every two weeks to protect him from COVID-19.
“I take it as prevention, once every two weeks,” admitted Sotto in an interview over dwIZ.
He said he believes the human-grade ivermectin prophylaxis can help fight the novel coronavirus despite warnings from health experts that it can damage the brain, lungs and liver and can be fatal.
The World Health Organization and the US-FDA have yet to approve the use of ivermectin, which was originally developed to treat worms and other parasites in animals.
It is currently on its third clinical trials in 73 countries for human use.
“I know somebody who was hit by COVID, took ivermectin for three days. On the 4th day, 5th day, all the symptoms were gone. Waited for just14 days before the patient was checked again, and was already negative,” Sotto said.
Last week, the Food and Drugs Administration gave one more private hospital compassionate special permit (CSP) to use ivermectin as treatment for COVID-19, as the country grapples with a shortage of supplies of medicines and vaccines.
“Two hospitals have actually applied and granted CSP already,” FDA director-general Eric Domingo said.
A compassionate use permit only allows legal administration of the drug in the country but is not an endorsement of its safety and efficacy from the FDA.
The Department of Health had repeatedly warned that dispensing of ivermectin for human use as well as its promotion violate the FDA Act of 2009.
Domingo said under a CSP, patients must consent to using the drug and doctors take upon themselves “complete responsibility over the product.”
The FDA should also be informed of the “investigational treatment” that the hospital will be following
In the United States, ivermectin is used in mild to moderate cases of COVID-19, he said.