According to the Philippine College of Physicians (PCP), a number of Filipinos were infected with COVID-19 despite using ivermectin, an anti-parasitic drug touted by some politicians as treatment for the respiratory illness.
“We have actually seen a number of Filipinos who got COVID-19 despite using ivermectin, and in fact, not only getting infected with COVID-19 but the COVID-19 they got became really serious that they are coming to the hospital with severe COVID-19,” said Dr. Maricar Limpin, vice president of the PCP.
She said some sought medical attention because of the side effects brought by using the deworming drug.
The PCP has joined the call of other medical groups cautioning the public against the use of ivermectin due to insufficient data demonstrating its benefits against the new coronavirus.
“Based on current evidence from randomized controlled trials, ivermectin does not significantly improve clinical outcomes or reduce death among adults with mild COVID-19 infection,” the group previously said.
It added that ivermectin use was associated with negative side effects such as nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, limb or facial swelling, neurologic adverse events (dizziness, seizures, confusion), sudden drop in blood pressure potentially requiring hospitalization, and liver injury (hepatitis).
“We can’t allow the health of the Filipinos to be jeopardized. As we battle COVID-19, it can’t be that we will just take any medicine that is not founded in science and which this medicine, it may even lead to more disastrous effect,” Limpin said.
