Simnikiwe Hlatshaneni
Medicines body maintains the quality of trials on the efficacy of Ivermectin in Covid‐19 patients is poor and underpowered.
People demonstrate to allow the use of Ivermectin for treating Covid-19 patients on 11 January 2021 in Durban. Picture: Gallo Images/Darren Stewart
A recently published review of scientific evidence supporting the efficacy of Ivermectin in treating Covid-19 has failed to sway the South African Health Products Authority's position on allowing the use of the drug locally. Ivermectin is a drug used for treatment of parasitic nematode worms, mites and insects in livestock. It is also used to treat parasitic infections in domestic animals and onchocerciasis (river blindness caused by infection with the parasitic worm Onchocerca volvulus) in humans. Previously the health consumer watchdog said there was no data available to conclude that the drug's use on humans is safe and effective. Sahpra...