THE Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned against the use of veterinary medicine Ivermectin as treatment for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
The agency said the Ivermectin is approved only for prevention of heartworm disease, and treatment of internal and external parasites in animals. It can only be prescribed by a licensed veterinarian.
The FDA said Ivermectin can be used for humans only as a topical drug with proper prescription.
The FDA also reiterated its stern warning against the selling of Covid-19 vaccines.
Since all vaccines are still under development, these are not approved for commercial use.
The FDA has issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) only for vaccines developed by Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Sinovac.
Violators may face imprisonment of one to 10 years or a fine of P50,000 to P500,000. Illegal manufacturers, importers or distributors of such products may face imprisonment of five to 10 years or fine of P500,000 to P5 million. (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo / SunStar Philippines)