Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Wednesday reiterated that the sale or promotion of unregistered drugs, such as ivermectin, is illegal, under the Food and Drug Administration Act of 2009. The Food and Drug Administration has said there is no basis to claim that ivermectin is effective against any virus. The World Health Organization has begun trials of the ivermectin but, like hydroxychloroquine which was publicly promoted by some politicians, it may later prove to be ineffective against COVID-19. —PATRICIA DENISE M. CHIU
Still no proof ivermectin good for COVID-19
TO USE OR NOT TO USE A number of physicians swear by the effectiveness of ivermectin, an anti-parasitic drug commercially available only for veterinary use, as a treatment or preventive medicine against COVID-19. But the Philippines' Food and Drug Administration maintains there are procedures to be followed, including clinical trials, before the drug could be allowed for distribution. —AFP FILE