Debates on the use of ivermectin for COVID-19 treatment and prevention are drawing away attention on the "real issues" that should be addressed amid the pandemic, a member of the House of Representatives said on Tuesday, April 6.
Ako Bicol Party-List Representative Alfredo Garbin Jr., gave his two cents on his colleagues' insistence that Ivermectin should be allowed to be used as a cure, and even a prevention, to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), despite repeated warnings from health experts and regulatory agencies that its efficacy for human use has not yet been proven.
In a statement released to a Viber group that included Anakalusugan Party-List Rep. Mike Defensor, Garbin said he believes "we are losing sight on the real issues that must be addressed".
"These are vaccine rollout and government protocols to curb the spread of the virus, and ayuda (assistance) for those who need help from the government," Garbin said.
The congressman said that if the country works on controlling the spread of the virus, "then there will be no need for a cure, there will be no need for hospital beds, there will be no need for further lockdowns."
The provision of aid will also address the need of affected families to go out and risk their health to look for work and sources of livelihood.
"Bakuna, Health Protocols at Ayuda ang solusyon hindi ang spekulasyon at opinyon (Vaccine, health protocols, and assistance are the solutions, not speculations and opinions)," Garbin said.
"Conspiracies, speculations and opinions will not help. All that we hear about ivermectin are just speculations absent credible studies by our experts," he pointed out.
Defensor is among those claiming that ivermectin has been helpful in treating COVID-19 and preventing people from contracting the virus. A COVID-19 survivor, he said the drug "made better" when he took doses of it.
On Monday, he announced that he will be distributing compounded Ivermectin capsules to Quezon City residents for free.
Garbin, on the other hand, came to the defense of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which, despite allowing the compounding of Ivermectin, is still apprehensive about its distribution for human intake.
The anti-parasitic drug is currently registered and widely used in veterinary medicine. As for human use, the drug is only registered in topical formulation, or ointment, to treat external parasites and skin conditions.
"There is a reason why we have the FDA, we need to trust our institution," Garbin said.
"Let us allow our experts to do their job. Studying the effects of certain proposed medications is not something that can be rushed even when we are in a pandemic. Our experts need to make sure that the proposed medication is really a cure and will not pose as added danger to the health of the public," he added.
Garbin then appealed to his fellow congressmen and government officials to be responsible about their pronouncements.
"Each time we talk people listen. We have to be responsible with what we say in public, we have to avoid causing false hopes, confusion, distrust to the government and disorientation," he said.
"Alam ko na maganda ang hangarin ng mga proponent ng ivermectin pero kailangan parin ito idaan sa tamang paraan upang siguraduhing ito nga ay solusyon at hindi panibagong problema (I know the proponents had good intentions for pushing ivermectin but this should undergo the right processes to ensure that this will indeed be a solution and will not cause a new problem)," Garbin told his colleagues.