Afriforum is considering legal action over the use of Ivermectin
- Afriforum is prepared to take legal action over the government's ban on the use of Ivermectin to treat Covid-19
- The controversial drug has not been cleared for use on humans in South Africa and is used as an antiparasitic drug for animals
- A petition has been signed by almost 100 healthcare professionals; appealing to President Ramaphosa for an urgent review of the the drug
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Afriforum has instructed its legal team to investigate the possibility of taking the government to court over the use of the controversial antiparasitic drug Ivermectin.
Briefly.co.za learned that Ivermectin is currently being used in a number of countries to treat people but in South Africa, the drug is not registered for use on humans.
Barend Uys, Afriforum’s head of research believes that the government was acting irrationally in approving the Covid-19 vaccine which was developed within months while at the same time not allowing patients access to a potentially life-saving drug accord to IOL.
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A petition has been signed by almost 100 professionals for President Cyril Ramaphosa to urgently review the use of Ivermectin in the treatment of Covid-19 according to IOL.
The antiparasitic drug has not been properly tested on humans and is mostly used to treat animals.
Dr Naseeba Kathrada wrote to Ramaphosa asking for the president to set up a review on the drug to save people's lives.
Kathrada said that new evidence was being reported daily on the effectiveness of Ivermectin in the treatment of Covid-19.
However, the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority has aid that the use of the drug is against the law as it not registered for human use.
Earlier, Briefly.co.za reported that Ivermectin is a drug used to kill parasites in animals and is not used on humans, despite this doctors are prescribing the drug for people to treat Covid-19.
The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority has not cleared the drug for use on humans and has prohibited its use according to ENCA.
“It hasn’t been tested, there are no clinical trials available and it is considered to be unsafe at this stage," said SAHPRA's Yuven Gounden.
Earlier this week the Ahmed Al-Kadi (AAK) Hospital was criminally charged for violating the Medicines and Related Substances Act by illegally dispensing ivermectin to patients. The police raided the hospital and confiscated the medication.
In other news, Briefly.co.za reported that Julius Malema has weighed in on the Covid-19 vaccination as the nation prepares to kick off inoculation drives
The Economic Freedom Fighters leader expressed his disdain at those spreading conspiracy theories over the vaccine:
“Vaccinations have played an important role in eradicating viruses in the history of humanity. Polio and malaria [sic] have cause havoc in societies and it was through vaccines that human lives have been spared from death. Vaccines are a necessary and inevitable intervention in defeating Covid-19."
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Source: Briefly News
