Medic says cheap and effective drug to tackle virus is being overlooked
A CHEAP and established drug that is reducing infection and death from Covid-19 in other parts of the world is not being used against it in the UK.
The Scottish and Westminster Governments say they are aware of trials and positive results elsewhere involving Ivermectin but they have no plans to use it.
Dr Brian Venters, 81, a retired GP from Edinburgh, has been writing to ministers and MSPs since last November and has managed to secure a meeting with new drug policy minister Angela Constance next month.
He is puzzled and angry that time is being wasted while other countries have reacted immediately to positive results of trials of Ivermectin, which has been shown to reduce the chance of infection and the severity of symptoms.
He said: “The Scottish Government advice is simply wrong, and the UK Government is focused on expensive antiarthritis drugs rather than listening to these independent experts.”
Ivermectin is a powerful antiparasitic drug widely used to treat conditions prevalent in developing countries, including worm infections and river blindness, and is also used to prevent infection.
Andrew Hill, from Liverpool University, was commissioned by the World Health Organisation to evaluate the drug.
He and his colleagues found that in 11 trials involving more than 1000 patients, conducted mainly in the developing world, patients on Ivermectin appeared to recover in about half the usual time.
Among those taking the drug, only eight patients died, compared with 44 who had received a placebo.
Hill is due to publish his full analysis this month and believes the drug could be an important weapon against Covid-19, especially in the developing world as it costs less than £1.50 for a course of treatment.
The Frontline Covid-19 Critical Care Alliance (FLCCC), an international group of critical care specialists formed to develop protocols using known drugs for the prevention and treatment of Covid, recommends the use of “this remarkable drug Ivermectin” while vaccines are rolled out.
Venters said: “The FLCCC involves some outstanding physicians with no connections to big business and nothing to gain from promoting this drug, other than a desire to help people around the world have the best chance to survive the pandemic.
“I will be doing all I can to encourage the Scottish Government to look at the evidence available and do the right thing.”
The UK is focused on expensive arthritis drugs DR BRIAN VENTERS CALLS FOR CHANGE