Ministerial Advisory Committee co-chair is adamant physicians are ‘grasping at any option which promises positive results’ 12 January 2021 - 20:41 By Orrin Singh and Matthew Savidies
It would be “professional misconduct” for a health practitioner or pharmacist to prescribe animal drug ivermectin to humans to treat Covid-19.
This is according to co-chair of the Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC) Prof Salim Abdool Karim, who was speaking to eNCA on Tuesday night.
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Despite official health warnings against the use of Ivermectin for the treatment of Covid-19, the animal drug is flying off the shelves as people rush to buy it in the belief that it is a treatment for the coronavirus.
In SA, this is what we use Ivermectin for
By Thobeka Ngema
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Durban – Ivermectin has sparked a lot of interest for use among humans to help manage and treat of Covid-19.
The SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) said ivermectin was registered for use in animals and not human use but allowed the use of topical ivermectin as an unregistered product for the treatment of individual patients with conditions such as scabies or head lice.
According to a document published by the Department of Government Communication and Information System, ivermectin is registered in South Africa for the treatment of parasites in animals under the Fertilizers, Farm Feeds, Agricultural Remedies and Stock Remedies Act.
Soyiso Maliti > By Soyiso Maliti - 12 January 2021 - 11:13 The SA Health Products Regulatory Authority prohibited Ivermectin for human consumption last month after it emerged on several social media platforms that it was being promoted as a cure for Covid-19. Stock photo. Image: 123rf/Jarun Ontakrai
The Eastern Cape health department will investigate a prescription for Ivermectin, the controversial drug used in the treatment of animals but touted as a Covid-19 cure, which appears to have been signed at Tayler Bequest Hospital in Matatiele. It also carries the department’s stamp.
The medication has not been sanctioned by either the health department or the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra).