MOH: There is no strong evidence of the effectiveness of Ivermectin in the treatment of Covid-19

Arabell Lawrence Anthony Soon

arabellaaa97@gmail.com

Following allegations regarding the use of the drug Ivermectin to prevent the Covid-19 outbreak, the Ministry of Health (MOH) today announced the implementation of a randomized clinical trial to see if it can really be used.

“The MOH has initiated randomized clinical trials for the use of Ivermectin and evaluated the level of safety and efficacy in high-risk Covid-19 patients.

"The trial will involve 500 Covid-19 patients in 12 MOH hospitals. Through this study, the MOH hopes to get an accurate perspective on the effectiveness of Ivermectin," said Health Director-General Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah in a statement today.

Ivermectin is an antiparasitic drug that is mostly used in veterinary medicine, especially in treating worms.

“In April 2020, researchers using laboratory methods showed Ivermectin can also inhibit the replication of Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.

"Since then, many authors have used findings from small studies and case series to suggest the potential use of Ivermectin against Covid-19. At the same time, the recommendation for ' off-label ' use (use of a drug against another disease) has been controversial from the beginning. , "he said.

He added that although the risk of Covid-19 transmission in Malaysia is high at the moment, his party still needs to take appropriate measures to find methods that really bring results.

"Without evidence from well-done clinical trials, the MOH has not been able to recommend the use of Ivermectin to prevent or treat Covid-19. Science remains the best weapon against the Sars-Cov-2 virus," he added.

He added that most of the tests related to the use of Ivermectin were either limited in terms of its sample size, uncontrolled studies, or it was only used as an adjunct treatment, making the conclusion of the drug’s effects inaccurate.

“In January 2021, a randomized placebo-controlled trial involving 24 non-critical Covid-19 patients failed to show a reduction in the rate of PCR-positive patients on day seven, after being given a dose of 400 mcg/kg Ivermectin.

"The authors of the pilot study, published in EClinical Medicine (Lancet), are of the view that more extensive testing is needed to understand the effects of Ivermectin. In March this year, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published a randomized trial involving 476 adults with Covid-19. mild, given Ivermectin for five days.

"It showed no significant improvement in the recovery period from Covid-19 symptoms. While Ivermectin may have antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects, the available evidence is inconclusive," he added.

Regulatory bodies such as the U.S. FDA and the European Medical Agency have evaluated the studies conducted and concluded there is not enough evidence to support the use of Ivermectin in the treatment of Covid-19.

The World Health Organization (WHO) also issued guidelines prohibiting the routine use of the drug in Covid-19 treatment, except for clinical trials.