By Argyll Cyrus Geducos Malacañang said there was no truth to the rumors that President Duterte has already approved the use of Fabunan antiviral injections against coronavirus disease (COVID-19), saying the drug has not even undergone clinical studies yet. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque (ALBERT ALCAIN/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO) "Hindi po totoo 'yan (That's not true)!" Roque said over PTV-4 on Saturday (May 30), referring to the rumors involving the controversial drug. "Ang nangyari po, sumulat po sa opisina ko ang isang Atty. Fabunan at finorward ko po ang letter niya kay DOST (Department of Science and Technology) Secretary Dela Peña (What happened was a certain Atty. Fabunan wrote to me and I forwarded his letter to Secretary Dela Peña)," he added. Roque said the Fabunan drug has a cease-and-desist order (CDO) from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). "May cease-and-desist order ang Fabunan galing sa FDA kasi wala pa pong tinatawag na clinical studies (The Fabunan drug has a COD from the FDA because the product has not undergone clinical studies)," he said. "'Yung clinical studies, 'yan po 'yung magsisiguro na hindi po magiging banta sa kalusugan ng ating mga kababayan ang bagong gamot (Clinical studies ensure that a new drug will not be harmful to our countrymen)," he added. The DOST, along with some universities in the country, conducts clinical studies of different drugs. "Importante po kasi na bago maibigay sa publiko ang kahit anong gamot, kasama na po diyan yung Fabunan, kinakailangan rehistrado sa FDA (It's important that before the public gets access to any drug, including the Fabunan, these must be registered with the FDA)," he continued. The Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has warned the public against using drugs or vaccines with unproven claims that they can cure COVID-19. "Kung hindi po siya approved ng FDA at ng Department of Health, 'wag po tayo mag-eksperimento ng mga gamot na hindi naman po natin alam at wala naman po tayong kasiguraduhan sa kanyang bisa (If it's not approved by the FDA and the DOH, let's not experiment with medicines whose effectivity we are unsure of)," Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said last month. "Kung ito ba ay talagang nakakagamot o nakakasama pa sa katawan, hindi po natin alam (We don't know if it can cure us or make things worse)," he added. Firms and retailers of unlicensed treatment regimens like the Fabunan antiviral injections were informed that they needed to register their products with the FDA Center for Drug Regulation and Research.