Duterte orders FDA crackdown on illegal ivermectin trade

President Rodrigo Duterte has directed the FDA to stop the illegal trading and dispensing of the anti-parasitic drug ivermectin in the treatment of Covid-19.

“To ensure the safety and welfare of the public and at the same time avoid any unnecessary conflicts, the FDA has been directed to take the lead in determining the course of action against the illegal trading/dispensing of ivermectin,” Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said in a statement.

“The Philippine National Police cannot arbitrarily determine on their own which drug/s should not be on the market. All operations to apprehend or seize goods must be done in coordination with the FDA,” he added.

The World Health Organization has recommended against the use of ivermectin on Covid-19 patients except in clinical trials due to lack of data demonstrating its benefits.