The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) must investigate the alleged “token” prescription reportedly given to people during the distribution of anti-parasitic drug Ivermectin in Quezon City, Health Secretary Francisco Duque said Friday, April 30.
Duque said that prescriptions must contain the name of the doctor who prescribed the drug, their office address, professional registration number of the physician, professional tax receipt number, and the patient’s information.
“So dapat kailangan sundin ito. Hindi pwedeng token na prescription lang. Kung totoo man ‘yun na nakalagay daw sa isang bond paper lang (So it must be followed. It is not allowed to have a token prescription only if it is true that it was written on a bond paper only),” he said in an interview over ANC.
“Part of what the FDA needs to do is to investigate such reports. But the accountability is clear, it’s the doctor who prescribed it that must answer for his actions,” he added.
Two lawmakers led the distribution of Ivermectin tablets to several attendees at the Matandang Balara Barangay Hall Park in Quezon City on Thursday, April 30.
The lawmakers, together with some doctors, pushed through with the distribution of the drug despite the continuous warning from health officials that there is not enough evidence to support the claim that the drug is effective against COVID-19.
As of date, the FDA has granted compassionate special permit to five hospitals for the use of Ivermectin on their patients as possible treatment against COVID-19.
“But they have to follow the protocol, for which the compassionate special permit was issued. So may conditions ‘yan, there’s an enumeration of what has to be done,” he said.
He also noted that the FDA authorizes the compounding of Ivermectin by authorized pharmacies, adding that there has to be a doctor’s prescription.
“If all those conditions have been met, I don’t think there’s anything illegal about the actions but I don’t know the whole story. I don’t know the details of the dispensation and prescription, and how it is done,” Duque said.
“This will have to be looked into by the field investigating agents of FDA,” he added.
In an advisory, the FDA said that the only registered Ivermectin products in the country for human use are in topical formulation for the treatment of external parasites such as head lice and skin conditions such as rosacea.
It added that the registered oral and intravenous preparations of Ivermectin are veterinary products, which are approved for use in animals for the prevention of heartworm disease and treatment of internal and external parasites in certain animal species.
The Health department have repeatedly warned that there is not enough proof that the drug is effective in the treatment against COVID-19.
It pointed out that Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe, World Health Organization (WHO) Representative to the Philippines, has stated that there is no evidence that supports the use of Ivermectin to treat COVID-19, even as a preventive measure.