'Even humans eat dog food': Solons urge FDA to study use of Ivermectin against COVID-19

Members of the House of Representatives pressed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to act on calls for the use of Ivermectin for treating and preventing the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Anakalusugan Party-list Representative Mike Defensor on Tuesday, March 30, grilled the FDA for issuing warnings against the use of Ivermectin and supposedly delaying the grant of authority for its distribution.

Defensor, who has recently recovered from COVID-19, said he was a "living wtness" to the use of the drug and that "it made me better."

Ivermectin is an anti-parasitic drug widely used for animals at present. Its use for humans has yet to be approved by the Food And Drug Administration (FDA).

"Eh ba't di po natin payagan 'yong iba (Why don't we allow others to use it)?…Imbes na kayo ang maging hadlang, sana maging proactive tayo, at i-accommodate at i-assist (Instead of you preventing it, you should be proactive, accommodate and assist those who are pushing for it). We can make a study using Ivermectin," he said during the House Committee on Health's hearing Tuesday night.

His call was echoed by Bagong Henerasyon Party-list Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy, Ilocos Sur 2nd District Rep. Kristine Singson-Meehan, Manila Teacher's Party-list Rep. Vigilio Lacson, and SAGIP Party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta, who all urged the FDA to be flexible in its processes and approve Ivermectin for human consumption.

"Bigyan sana natin ng pagkakataon, na huwag na nating pairalin 'yong bureaukrasya, masyadong matagal, sapagkat extraordinary measures po ang kailangan (Let's give this a chance, let's not resort to bureacracy that takes too long, because what we need now are extraordinary measures)," Marcoleta said.

"Kung minsan po sa hirap ng buhay, Dr. Domingo, 'yong pagkain ng aso, kinakain na ng tao, eh. 'Yon pong dog food, nakakain na po ng tao (Sometimes, Dr. Domingo, even people resort to eating dog food because of poverty. Even humans eat dog food now)," he told FDA director-general Eric Domingo.

1-PACMAN Partylist Enrico Pineda, also a COVID-19 survivor, claimed that "many patients have made full recovery" using Ivermectin.

"This drug can be a game-changer," Pineda said.

Dr. Allan Landrito, formerly from the Muntinlupa City government, said he has recommended Ivermectin to several of his patients. He said he has compounded the drugs himself.

Landrito is currently applying for a license to operate to distribute Ivermectin for human consumption. The license is a requirement for the product's registration in the FDA.

Dr. Pierre Kory from the Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance also said Ivermectin "should be deployed systematically and globally for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19", citing studies of its "effectiveness" in fighting viral infections.

The World Health Organization (WHO), however, said further clinical trials are needed before allowing its use, as there is no significant data yet to prove its efficacy for COVID-19 treatment and prevention.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, meanwhile, told the congressmen that the government will look into provisions of existing laws to use as basis for speeding up their processes. Domingo also reiterated that the FDA is not against Ivermectin, and is only pointing out that the drug, as mandated by law, has to be registered and its use for humans should first be evaluated.

"Ako ay sumusuporta sa posisyon ng atin pong mga mababatas, pero gawin po natin sa tamang pamamaraan. Sumunod po tayo sa batas, wala naman pong gumagawa ng batas kundi Kongreso din po (I support the position of our legislators, but we have to do it properly. We should follow laws, laws crafted by no less than members of the Congress)," Duque said.