The Quezon City Health Department (QCHD) on Saturday advised the public to follow the policy of the Department of Health (DOH), and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the use of antiparasitic drug, Ivermectin, as a preventive cure for coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Citing the joint statement released by the DOH and FDA, QCHD chief Dra. Esperanza Arias stressed that the city does not distribute nor endorse, and support the use of Ivermectin.
“We will follow whatever is the stand of the DOH-FDA on the issue since this is very well under their jurisdiction, given their mandate to review consumer products. And if they don’t authorize the use of this drug for Covid-19, we will rely on their expertise. We are issuing this statement because it is a public health issue and our QCitizens’ well-being is our mandate,” Airas said.
“There are also other factors we need to consider if we will use this, such as the correct dosage to get maximum benefit. Public health should never be compromised at any given time,” she added.
The DOH and FDA have strongly advised against the purchase and use of Ivermectin veterinary products for treatment of COVID-19.
The two agencies added that “at present, Ivermectin veterinary products are only approved for use in the prevention of heartworm disease and treatment of internal and external parasites in certain animal species.”
In an interview, FDA Director-General Eric Domingo stressed that the use of human-grade Ivermectin drug is only legal if it is prescribed by a physician and compounded by a licensed pharmacy.
The FDA recently granted a compassionate special permit for an unnamed hospital’s use of Ivermectin, but its use is only limited to the hospital.
Meanwhile, Arias reminded QC residents to follow minimum health standards to lessen the local transmission of the virus.