Threee trials testing Ivermectin may begin soon, said the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA).
According to SAHPRA CEO, Dr Boitumelo Semete-Makokotela the clinical trials from the University of Stellenbosch, University of the Free State and Wits will begin soon and are predicted to shed light on the benefits of Ivermectin, which has been hailed as a “COVID-19 cure” but have not been officially tested to SAHPRA’s satisfaction.
“Last week, we had a meeting with the scientific community where we are expecting three chemical trials studies to be submitted. We engaged the universities of Free State, Wits University could possibly also submit, as well as Stellenbosch University,” she said to EWN.
Professor Helen Rees said that they allowed controlled “off label” use of Ivermectin while waiting for data on the drug’s reported potency to treat the virus.
“We wanted to make sure that if doctors who felt very strongly that they wanted to have access to Ivermectin – as I said, there are doctors on both sides of the fence who have very different views – but for those who did, at least we can ensure that the product they’ve applied for and that the product they’re getting is a product that is designed for human consumption and the dosage is known to them,” she said.
The Pretoria High Court recently ruled in favour of a court application which grants medical practitioners the ability to prescribe the drug to patients in urgent cases.
Doctors may now begin ivermectin treatment as soon as they submit an article 21 application and do not need to wait for the outcome of the application to administer the drug. This is allowed only in cases where doctors deem urgent access to Ivermectin for a patient is needed, the court conceded on Tuesday [February 2].
By Wednesday, February 3, at least 34 Section 21 applications for Ivermectin use had been submitted.
