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The use of Ivermectin, an animal anti-parasitic medicine currently used by veterinarians in South Africa, has been the topic of much discussion these past few months.

Adverts have been widely circulated on WhatsApp, touting its success in treating COVID-19 patients, although the veracity of the videos accompanying the adverts remains uncertain.

Ivermectin is usually sold in South Africa for treatment of animals under brand names like Ivomec, Ivotan, and Ivermite.

What we do now know is that yesterday, the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) announced that it would “facilitate a controlled compassionate access programme” to Ivermectin for use for patients with COVID-19.

More below via The Daily Maverick:

“Very detailed guidelines of this programme” will be announced “in coming days” that would build in the principles that are used to inform and grant s21 authorisations under the Medicines Act and would be “open to all patients”.

A s21 authorisation is a mechanism used by SAHPRA for medicines that are not registered in South Africa, but which are known to be safe and efficacious and in use in other countries…

According to [SAHPRA CEO] BoitumeloSemete-Makokotlela, applications would need to be made by health professionals so as to ensure they took responsibility for safety and monitor efficacy. “There’s a large responsibility we are placing on health professionals,” she said.

Under the ‘compassionate use’ rules, doctors and health professionals will apply, on a case by case basis, for the right to give Ivermectin to patients under their care.

Just the one problem – Ivermectin is in very short supply, reports Business Insider SA:

Under normal circumstances, a 50ml container of Ivotan 1% sells for around R150, while half a litre of Ivomec Super goes for around R1,800.

But those are widely sold out at co-operatives and animal supply wholesales after what some described as an incredible rush on their stock from people who did not appear to be farmers.

Various groups and individuals have promoted animal-use ivermectin, diluted with water and taken orally, as an anti-viral. Some have, against all medical and scientific advice, presented it as an alternative to Covid-19 vaccines…

Please don’t join that brigade, as we are already dealing with enough apprehension and misinformation around the rollout of vaccines in this country.

It’s also worth noting the comments by Prof Salim Abdool Karim, the co-chairperson of the ministerial advisory committee (MAC), who says that the evidence on Ivermectin is flimsy and there is no compelling case for it to be used in the fight against COVID-19.

The Daily Maverick also reports that “the drugs used as part of the programme would need to be drugs manufactured for human use (not animal use) and, given that there is no local production of the drug, it would have to be imported by a reputable company.”

There are South African groups waiting to supply Ivermectin, should a wider rollout be authorised:

One group told Business Insider South Africa it was “standing by” to sell 12mg ivermectin tablets at R350 for a sleeve of 10, with free collection at various sites across the country.

Those involved would not say whether they had stock at the ready, but promised quick and regular supplies through solid logistics channels.

Even if a steady supply chain is put in place, there are healthcare professionals who fear that delays in the ‘compassionate use’ application process could prove to be a matter of life or death.

Read more on that here.

[sources:dailymav&businsidersa]