Philippines Trials Animal Worm And Parasite Infection Drugs For Covid-19 Treatment

Illustration of a COVID-19 patient. (Wikimedia Commons / Mstyslav Chernov)

JAKARTA - The Philippine authorities plan to use several drugs to treat the coronavirus, as an alternative to the COVID-19 vaccine, including the anti-parasitic drug ivermectin.

Although local food and drug regulators warn against the use of ivermectin, there is still a lack of evidence of benefit. However, a number of politicians in the Philippines started promoting Ivermectin.

Some politicians in the Philippines have started promoting the use of ivermectin for the coronavirus and providing free doses, although the country's food and drug regulators have warned of such use due to a lack of evidence for the drug as a treatment.

"The clinical trial for ivermectin, which can last for six months, will give us a more reliable estimate of the effect of invermectin as an anti-viral agent in mild and moderate patients (COVID-19)," said Minister of Science and Technology Fortunato Dela Pena, in his presentation on Monday evening, reported by Reuters, Tuesday 20 April.

The Philippines is looking for alternatives to COVID-19 drugs, as new infections spike. The vaccination program that has been rolled out has only reached 1.3 million people out of a population of 108 million.

The number of cases of COVID-19 infection in the Philippines has reached more than 945,000 cases of COVID-19, with a death toll of more than 16,000 deaths.

Furthermore, Dela Pena explained, the government has also approved a clinical trial of a new formulation of methylprednisolone, steroid and melatonin, as a treatment for COVID-19.

"The government will also initiate trials of herbal supplements, which are derived from the native laughter plant which can fight dengue fever. Ongoing tests are using virgin coconut oil for severe COVID-19 patients," he said.

"We are trying some (drugs). It may not be a vaccine but it has the potential to speed up recovery," said Dela Pena.

To note, Ivermectin tablets have been approved to treat some worm infections and to treat parasites in animals.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) last month recommended not using ivermectin in patients with COVID-19 except for clinical trials, due to a lack of data showing its benefits.