Food and Drug Administration Director General Eric Domingo (File photo)
MANILA – The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted a compassionate special permit for the use of the anti-parasitic drug Ivermectin, an official said Thursday.
“Sa pagkakaalam ko po, may isang ospital samin na nag-apply ng compassionate special permit for the use of Ivermectin at ito po ay na-grant ngayong araw na ito (One hospital has applied to us for the compassionate special permit for the use of Ivermectin and it has been granted today)," FDA Director General Eric Domingo said at the Laging Handa briefing.
Domingo noted that Ivermectin is an “investigational product” and clinical trials on its use to prevent Covid-19 are ongoing.
“Ito lamang po ang laging sinasabi ng FDA, hindi po kami kontra sa Ivermectin, pero kailangan ipa-rehistro ang produkto at dumaan lamang po sa tamang proseso ng pagsiguro ng quality ng gamot na makakarating sa tao (This is what the FDA has been saying, we’re not against Ivermectin, but the product needs to be registered and must undergo the right process to ensure the quality of medicine for the public),” he said.
The Department of Health earlier warned that the distribution and promotion of Ivermectin as a treatment for coronavirus in humans is a violation of the law.
The FDA had earlier approved Ivermectin only for animal use to prevent heartworm disease and treat parasite infestation and not for treatment of Covid-19.
Domingo said the FDA has received an application for a certificate for product registration of the drug which has been promoted by some lawmakers as a Covid-19 treatment.
"Binigyan na rin po sila ng listahan ng mga requirements kailangang i-submit para po umandar ang kanilang application at ma-evaluate ito (They have been given a list of requirements to submit so that their application would get evaluated)," Domingo said. (PNA)
