Regarding Ivermectin, Luhut: For Mild COVID-19, It Works!

ILLUSTRATION/UNSPLASH

JAKARTA - In the midst of the increasingly violent COVID-19 condition, the deworming drug Ivermectin is in the spotlight of various circles.

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan claimed that Ivermectin was effective in treating mild symptoms of COVID-19. In fact, he had tested the worm medicine since 8 months ago.

"Eight months ago I spoke with Dr. Fatimah, the head of the BUMN Hospital, when we used Ivermectin in the first wave. At that time, President Trump made an announcement at the White House. Then I said, just try something light. And it works," said Luhut in Deddy Corbuzier's Youtube podcast, Tuesday, July 6.

Then, Luhut also asked SOE Minister Erick Tohir to make the drug usable.

"Now Pak Erick is making it work, right, patent. What's wrong with it? For light people, yes, the oxygen saturation is still 95 percent," he said.

"Doctor Fatimah said, 'Sir, we have proven it, it's good and it's working, just beat it. So I said Erick sent it, there were no victims because of that," he continued.

Luhut admitted that there were parties who did not like the use of Ivermectin. Because, the price is cheap but efficacious in curing mild symptoms of COVID-19.

Even the Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin, said Luhut, had given attention to the drug manufacturer taking quite a large profit when he found out that Ivermectin was patented as COVID-19.

"So the Minister of Health said to me, 'Sir, these drug industries are too profitable. Because making medicine is not worth the price,' said Luhut.

Luhut assessed that if Ivermectin was effective enough to start overcoming the pandemic, then he was confident that he could solve the problem and cure more patients.

He didn't even care if people who were good at raising the price of Ivermectin were angry. Because the distribution is restricted by the government.

"Indeed, we think, just beat it up, there is no business. For the interests of our people, we will continue," he said.

It is known, the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) threatened production to revoke the distribution permit of Ivermectin due to violations. One of them is related to retail price.

"Harsen (PT Harsen Laboratories, ed) should look in the mirror, don't give the price too high. I said to the Minister of Health, 'Bud, make it the highest retailer and they are already profitable, don't even make the producers profit,' said Luhut.

Personally, Luhut has no problem with the use of the drug Ivermectin as a helper for COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms.

"This is an emergency, as long as it's for the benefit of the people, just do it. Instead of now you die," said Luhut.

Ivermectin polemic

This polemic began with the Marketing Director of PT Harsen Laboratories, Riyo Kristian Utomo. Riyo said that the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) had conducted inspections for three days and blocked Ivermectin from leaving their factories.

"It's been three days (from Tuesday) to Thursday, BPOM conducted inspections and blocked Ivermectin from leaving the PT Harsen Laboratories factory. For days they hung out checking all invoices at the factory. It seems they don't want this drug to be circulated and used to fight Covid," Riyo said in a written statement, Friday, July 2, 2021.

PT Harsen Laboratories claims their deworming medicine can cure COVID-19 patients. For this reason, Riyo asked BPOM not to take any measures that are considered to be able to disrupt the company's production process, which is located in Ciracas, East Jakarta.

"BPOM must stop intimidating, we provide Ivermectin weapons against Covid. Don't make any deliberate efforts to make us lose. We have to win against Covid. Don't let anything get in the way," he said.

Head of the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) Penny Lukito said the raid was carried out on the factory because it found a number of violations in the production process, as well as the distribution of Ivermectin made by PT Harsen, the holder of the Ivermax 12 mg brand.

BPOM stated that the raw materials used by PT Harsen were suspected to be illegal; the packaging ready for distribution does not comply with the regulations, namely as an worm medicine; the determination of appropriate expiration is also considered not according to the rules, namely 18 months, but PT Harsen includes 2 years.

In addition, distribution not through official channels, including the promotion of hard drugs, violates the rules, not directly to the public, but must be delivered to health workers or doctors. With this violation, BPOM threatens PT Harsen to be subject to sanctions in the form of factory closures, revocation of permits, and criminal sanctions. "They should understand the existing regulations," he said.

PT Harsen is not the only producer of Ivermectin in Indonesia. PT Indofarma has obtained a distribution permit for Ivermectin as an anthelmintic since June 20, 2021. Indofarma said it can produce 4.5 million tablets per month. The company's production plan in early July to August will reach 13.8 million tablets.

However, many institutions still doubt the efficacy of this drug to fight COVID-19. Not only BPOM, WHO, FDA from the United States and EMA from the European Union stated that there was no evidence that Ivermectin was able to overcome COVID-19.

The FDA, for example, on March 5 warned that excessive use of Ivermectin could lead to death. The FDA also noted a number of reports of patients having to be hospitalized after self-medication of ivermectin for horses. The risks of Ivermectin poisoning are diluted blood, pain, nausea, and diarrhea.

Although it is still being debated, the enthusiasm of the community to obtain this drug is unstoppable. Pharmacy distributors, pharmacies, online drugstores and providers of telemedicine applications are flooded with Ivermectin requests.

The high demand made the price of the drug soar. The retail price of this drug should be set at Rp. 157,700 or 7,885 per tablet. However, according to information, on June 30, 2021, a number of online shops sold the drug at a price of Rp. 200 thousand per box.