• Updated on 13 January 2021:

It has come to light that the drug ivermectin has previously been registered in South Africa and approved for human use.

But before you rush, read clearly: the active ingredient – ivermectin – which is also found in Ivomec for antiparasitic purposes in animals, has been approved in another form, probably as a pill form, in the past.

Does this mean Ivomec, the animal remedy is safe for human consumption?

Science is uncertain about this.

I therefore advise people at this stage not to use this untested drug, no matter how much people want to be immune to Covid-19.

But at the same time, I urge the governing body that approves this medicine, the South African Health Products Control Council, to have the drug actively investigated, subject to the highest scientific standards – and with speed – so that people can know if the form already in place South Africa is approved, Covid-19 can suppress. This way, doctors will know if it is safe and effective to prescribe it.

The following is the original article on Ivomec, the drug that has been approved for use in animals and that people have started drinking so far against Covid-19:

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The internet is buzzing about the use of non-traditional drugs to treat Covid-19. Especially with the outbreak of the more aggressive virus variant that has emerged in South Africa, there is a tangible desperation among people to circumvent this aggressive pathogen.

Of course, this is understandable, measured by the dramatic increase in infections and deaths.

Let’s explore this murky field.

The first aspect of medicine that we need to look at is science. Here is my own definition:

Science is systematized knowledge, which is self-regulating.

In short, science is a wall of knowledge, piled up as we learn and explore. What makes it unique, in contrast to faith and other dogmas, is that as soon as new knowledge replaces the old, the wall is adjusted.

In other words, science is what we know, the truth.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, fake news has offered a sweatshop of instant cures, from the absurd, like bleach, to unproven cures like Ivomec.

Ivomec

When it comes to medical science, the industry is extremely wary of releasing new drugs, and the testing phase is subject to rigid protocols, notably the well-known double-blind test:

A double blind test is a scientific test in which neither test subjects nor administrators know who is in the control group and who is in the experimental group. The intent is to create an unbiased test environment, ensuring that the results of the testing are accurate and will stand up to analysis by other members of the scientific community. The concept of a double blind test is an excellent example of the scientific method, since it aims to be entirely objective and potentially repeatable.

Until and unless these “new” drugs are fully tested, we can say with no certainty whether they will work. It leaves anyone free to try any remedy, but meanwhile social distance, masks and hand washing are our only salvation.

So trust science, above all, before you give yourself and your loved ones false hope.

• Also read this article on SAHPRA’s website.