IVERMECTIN | Philippines vows action on congressmen’s illegal distribution of unauthorized drug for COVID-19 treatment

May 3, 2021 , 05:17 PM

(May 3, 2021) – The Philippines vowed to take action against two congressmen who were behind the free distribution of an unauthorized drug to treat coronavirus disease (COVID-19), health officials said on Monday.

Last week, Congressmen Michael Defensor and Rodante Marcoleta openly defied health authorities by distributing free Ivermectin, passing it as a medicine to cure COVID-19 even if they know the drug has no approval from the drug regulatory agency.

Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the health department has not completed its inquiry to pinpoint the liability in the free distribution of Ivermectin in Barangay Old Balara in Quezon City.

“We will act accordingly,” Vergeire told journalists in a public briefing, “according to existing laws that we have in our country, according to the identified violations, according to the accountable persons.”

“‘Yun po ang gagawin namin. We are on to that position and direction na ia-uphold namin kung ano’ng sinasabi sa batas at gagawin po namin ‘yan.”

Vergeire also said they have already sent a formal letter to the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) to investigate the doctors who prescribed the drug. She also said the FDA has started their parallel investigation into the incident.

[READ: BOND PAPER? | Duque seeks probe on ‘token prescription’ in Ivermectin pantry of Defensor, Marcoleta]

“Lahat ay iniimbestigahan pa,” Vergeire said. “We also want to know from them (PRC) the practice of profession nitong mga sumali rito na healthcare workers natin who are licensed by the PRC.”

“Pinag-aaralan ‘yan ngayon, nag-iimbestiga. Magbibigay tayo ng information ‘pag may binigay na sila sa atin na response.”

Marcoleta and Defensor, staunch believers that Ivermectin can cure COVID-19, opened an “Ivermectin Pantry” to give the drug for free.

In the Philippines, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) only allows an oral Ivermectin for pets. For humans, a topical Ivermectin ointment is only allowed.

There were four doctors during Marcoleta and Defensor’s free distribution of Ivermectin, an activity which medical professionals lambasted for violating guidelines set by the PRC.

The doctors did not give out prescriptions using an official doctor’s pad but a mere blank sheet of paper where they wrote the prescription without indicating full details about the doctor and the patient.

As a matter of practice, doctors were required to put their name, office address, professional regulation number, as well as tax receipt number in the prescription.

Valid prescriptions must also have the date, patient’s name, age, and sex. Not all of these details were provided in the prescriptions handed out by the doctors during the lawmakers’ event.

Marcoleta and Defensor defended the doctors, insisting there was no basis to go after the physicians who only wanted to “help out” the public seek alternative and cheaper forms of treatment for COVID-19.

They also criticized the Department of Health (DOH) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for blocking their efforts to extend help to the people.

“Kung iimbestigahan mo ‘yung mga doktor na tumulong sa amin, kami ba walang karapatan na imbestigahan kayo sa kapabayaan na ginagawa nyo?,” Marcoleta said in a statement on Monday.

But the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) firmly believed the action taken was illegal since Ivermectin was not duly registered as COVID-19 treatment before the local FDA.

Only five hospitals have received compassionate special permits (CSP) to legally provide the drug to their COVID-19 patients.

PMA spokesman Oscar Tinio also pointed out that the drug should have been dispensed by licensed pharmacists, not doctors or any other non-medical professionals.

“If you do not abide by the laws that we now have in our country then you are actually violating the pharmacy law right now particularly and basically we do not distribute drugs without any authorization from any government agency, particularly the FDA. That could be considered as illegal dispensing,” Tinio told One News on Sunday.

Tinio also recommended the filing of complaints before the FDA and the PRC to hold accountable those who participated in the illegal dispensing of the investigational drug.

He also reminded all their members to abide by the position of the PMA against the use of Ivermectin without enough evidence to support its safety and efficacy.

(Beatrice Puente/MM)

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