IMEE: USE PREVENTIVE TREATMENTS, REPURPOSED DRUGS WHILE WAITING FOR VACCINES

Senator Imee Marcos has renewed her call on the Department of Health (DOH) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to consider preventive treatments for Covid-19 and grant wider emergency use approval of repurposed drugs like Ivermectin to back up the government's erratic timeline to procure vaccines.

Marcos issued the statement after the expected arrival of Russia's Sputnik vaccine Sunday was delayed, adding that earlier delays have taken place even from the COVAX facility of the World Health Organization (WHO).

"Let's use preventive treatments and repurposed drugs while waiting for the vaccines. Setbacks in delivery timelines are taking place worldwide, not just in the Philippines," Marcos said.

India, the world's largest vaccine manufacturer, has cut back on its vaccine exports as it faces an overwhelming surge in cases, while the EU and the UK continue to bicker over production and delivery delays, Marcos explained.

Marcos also cited the drawback in vaccine shipments of Moderna to rich countries like Canada and Britain, adding that safety reviews have also delayed the roll-out of AstraZeneca and the J&J vaccine in other countries.

"We need a back-up plan to ease the burden on our healthcare system. The global vaccine supply will remain uncertain for months to come, so what's the back-up plan to stop infection and transmission, especially of these Covid variants?" Marcos asked.

Repurposing drugs to treat Covid-19 has been undergoing further studies worldwide, following testimonials of relief from patients and doctors alike, particularly in the use of Ivermectin, originally an anti-parasitic that has been used in humans to treat diseases such as elephantiasis and onchocersiasis or "river blindness."

"The FDA has granted emergency use of Ivermectin but only to certain hospitals. I hope the hesitation is not because it is beholden to the interests of big pharma, since the drug costs only 35 pesos," Marcos said.

Marcos also cited recent results of a study by infectious disease experts in Singapore that showed the likelihood of Covid-19 infection was reduced with the use of hydroxychloroquine, Ivermectin, and a povidone-iodine throat spray among some 3,000 trial participants after the May 2020 outbreak in the dorms of migrant workers.

Only 201,521 Filipinos have received complete vaccination since the government's roll-out started in March, with 1,205,697 having received their first dose, according to the April 21 report of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).

The government's yearend goal is to administer 148 million jabs of single-dose and double-dose vaccines to cover 78 million Filipinos, or more than two-thirds of the country's population of about 108 million, as recommended by the WHO to achieve herd immunity.

"That means the government needs to achieve a daily vaccination rate of about 313,446 people every single day starting May until the end of the year," Marcos pointed out, adding that the latest IATF report said the fastest vaccination rate in a day has only been 93,849 people.

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(Tagalog version)

IMEE: PALAWAKIN ANG PAGGAMIT SA IVERMECTIN HABANG NAGHIHINTAY PA SA BAKUNA!

Muling nanawagan si Senador Imee Marcos sa Department of Health (DOH) at Food and Drug Administration (FDA) na payagan ang mas malawak na emergency use approval ng mga "repurposed drugs" na tulad ng Ivermectin habang naaantala ang pagdating ng mga bakuna para sa Covid-19.

Inihayag ito ni Marcos kasunod ng pagka-antala ng pagdating ng Sputnik vaccine ng Russia na inaasahan sana noong Linggo, maliban pa sa iba pang mga bakuna galing sa COVAX facility mismo ng World Health Organization (WHO).

"Habang tayo'y naghihintay sa mga bakuna, palawakin na ang permiso sa paggamit ng mga repurposed drugs o mga gamot sa ibang mga sakit na angkop din naman sa sintomas ng Covid. Naaantala ang pagdating ng mga bakuna sa iba't-ibang bansa, hindi lang sa Pilipinas," giit ni Marcos.

Binawasan kasi ng India, na may pinakamalaking vaccine manufacturer sa buong mundo, ang pag-i-export ng mga bakuna dahil sa lumulubong kaso ng Covid-cases doon, ani Marcos, banggit din ang bangayan ng EU at UK sa produksyon at pagbarko ng bakuna.

Dagdag pa ni Marcos, naiulat din kamakailan lamang ang mga sagabal sa vaccine shipment ng Moderna sa mga mayayamang bansa tulad ng Canada at Britanya, pati na sa paggamit ng AstraZeneca at J&J vaccine dahil sa mga panibagong safety review o pagsusuri sa kaligtasan.

"Kailangan natin ng back-up na plano para mabawasan ang paghihirap ng ating mga ospital at healthcare workers. Dahil magiging limitado pa rin ang supply ng bakuna sa mga susunod na buwan, ano ang back-up plan natin para mapahinto ang mga impeksyon at hawahan, lalo na ng nasabing mga Covid variants?" tanong ni Marcos.

Patuloy na pinag-aaralan sa buong mundo ang paggamit ng mga repurposed drugs para makagamot ng Covid-19, kasunod ng mga testimonya ng mga pasyente at doktor na nakabuti ang mga ito, partikular ang Ivermectin na dati nang ginagamit sa tao laban sa mga parasitikong sanhi ng elephantiasis at onchocersiasis o "river blindness".

"Pinayagan na ng FDA ang emergency use ng Ivermectin subalit limitado lang sa ilang ospital. Sana ang pag-aatubili ay hindi dahil sa masasagasaan ang interes ng mga malalaking pharma, sapagkat ang nasabing gamot ay mabibili lang ng 35 pesos," ani Marcos.

Tanging 201,521 mga Pilipino pa lang ang nakatatanggap ng kumpletong bakuna, habang 1,205,697 naman ang nakatanggap ng unang dose, ayon sa April 21 na ulat ng Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).

Ang target ng gobyerno ay makakuha ng 148 milyong single-dose at double-dose na mga bakunang sapat para sa 78 milyong mga Pilipino, ayon sa rekomendasyon ng WHO upang magkaroon tayo ng herd immunity.

"Ibig sabihin dapat maabot ng gobyerno na bakunahan ang 313,446 katao kada araw simula Mayo hanggang sa katapusan ng taon," pagtukoy ni Marcos, sabay puna na 93,849 katao lang ang pinakamaraming napabakuna sa isang araw, ayon sa IATF report.