FDA: Another hospital allowed to use Ivermectin

MANILA, Philippines — Another private hospital was given a compassionate special permit (CSP) to use Ivermectin as treatment for COVID-19 patients, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said yesterday.

According to FDA director general Eric Domingo, there are now two private hospitals, which he refused to identify, that can use the mainly veterinary drug to treat their COVID-19 patients.

“As of (Thursday), there was a second hospital applicant for CSP. (Yesterday) morning, it was approved already,” he noted.

The CSP is valid for one year and can only be used by doctors of these hospitals.

But Domingo stressed there is still no evidence on the therapeutic benefits of Ivermectin on coronavirus patients, adding that experts looked into 11 reports on the use of Ivermectin based on clinical practice guidelines.

“It shows that the effect on the patients given placebo and Ivermectin is the same. So the conclusion of our experts, so far, is that there is insufficient evidence to recommend the use of Ivermectin against COVID-19,” he maintained.

Under the protocols, hospitals granted a CSP can use Ivermectin on an indicated number of patients. Once they consume the number of patients in their application, they can apply for CSP again.