‘Ivermectin not approved for Covid!’

The drug Ivermectin is not approved by any authority in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) for use for in treating Covid-19.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr.Simone Keizer-Beache, responding to a question on the matter yesterday at a virtual press conference of the Ministry of Health, said that generally the drug is approved for use for parasites in humans, at a specific dose.

“…In the Government service we use the OECS formulary(OECS PPS Formulary List of Antiretroviral agents), and about whether or not it is on that formulary, that is something that we will have to determine,” she stated.

However, she said that it is not approved for use as a prophylactic or for treatment of Covid-19.

“It’s not approved by the Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines, by the Drug Council, by any authority in St Vincent…” for this purpose, the CMO said.

“…Anybody who has prescribed that for Covid, or anybody who has dispensed it for Covid in St Vincent and the Grenadines, can be brought before the Pharmacy Council, and the Medical Council, because it’s not approved for use for Covid in St Vincent,” she reiterated.

Former Speaker of the House of Assembly, lawyer Jomo Thomas, who tested positive for Covid-19 on September 13, has publicly admitted to taking this drug, along with vitamins, while he is battling the symptoms of the infection.