The Citizen (KZN)

Trial before use for ivermectin – minister

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Health Minister Zweli Mkhize says doctors who want to use ivermectin to treat Covid-19 symptoms should register with the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) to run clinical trials on the drug.

Mkhize was speaking during a visit to various KwaZulu-Natal hospitals.

The minister has been inundated with messages from people lobbying for the drug and has seen letters that were written to the president for the same reason.

“That regulatory authority has indicated that everyone is welcome to order the drugs and participat­e in a trial and therefore the authorisat­ion can be given on that basis.

“That also means that not the regulator, but the doctors who are conducting that trial will have to take responsibi­lity,” Mkhize said on Monday.

“Doctors who wish to use it have to follow those rules.”

The drug has been making headlines in South Africa.

There have also been several reports of doctors who not only support it but prescribe it to their patients.

The drug is usually used for the treatment of parasites in animals and tropical diseases in humans that are not commonly seen in South Africa.

Research in some countries suggested the drug could be used to manage Covid-19 symptoms.

In South Africa, it is registered under the department of agricultur­e for use in animals.

As such, it is illegal for people who do not have permits or are not trained to use it to have it in their possession.

“We will only register a drug that is based on the decision of Sahpra,” Mkhize said.

At the beginning of January, a 43-year-old man was arrested at

King Shaka Internatio­nal Airport in Durban in alleged possession of ivermectin parasitici­de tablets valued at R100 000.

He was returning from Dubai when the 2 464 tablets were allegedly found in his hand luggage.

Meanwhile, provincial health MEC Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu said they would probe media reports that patients had died in certain hospitals as a result of load shedding.

She said protocol dictated that generators should kick in less than 20 seconds after the hospital loses power.

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