Selangor executive councillor Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud has courted brickbats from doctors after she seemingly supported using ivermectin to treat Covid-19.
The Health Ministry has also come forward to caution against such a suggestion.
Siti Mariah (above) holds the public health, unity, women and family development portfolio in the state administration. She is also on the state government’s Selangor Covid-19 Task Force.
Earlier today, the medical doctor claimed that a couple had recovered from Covid-19 after taking ivermectin and she questioned Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah as to “what was wrong” with using the anti-parasitic drug to treat the virus.
Ivermectin is only licensed for veterinary use in Malaysia.
The Health Ministry does not endorse the use of ivermectin to prevent or treat Covid-19 but is in the midst of a three-month trial to determine if the drug can prevent elderly Covid-19 patients’ condition from worsening.
The Malaysian Health Coalition had also warned against “misleading claims” that have led to a black market for ivermectin.
In March, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said ivermectin should only be used for Covid-19 treatment within clinical trials.
The clinical trials on using ivermectin to prevent or treat Covid-19 thus far have been inconclusive as the trials themselves are often flawed or too small to discern benefits or both. This necessitated further testing to establish the risks and benefits of the drug.
Nevertheless, certain quarters have pushed for widespread use of ivermectin against Covid-19. They often cite such studies to back their claims or poorly conducted analyses of these studies that fail to properly account for the shortcomings of the trials being analysed.
Evidence, not testimonies
Putrajaya Hospital nephrologist Dr Rafidah Abdullah was among the prominent medical professionals who criticised the politician for her “unscientific” comments.
“Coming from someone who holds the title 'doctor' and (who is) at the helm of (the) health post in Selangor, I am extremely disappointed with this statement,” she tweeted.
Dr Khairul Hafidz, who runs the MedTweetMY health information online platform, also chastised Siti Mariah for the dubious recommendation.
“You have such (an) important position in the state, your words carry weight.
“Write with evidence, doctor, not testimonies,” he advised in a tweet.
In response, the Seri Serdang assemblyperson clarified that she was not recommending ivermectin but promoting discussion on the issue.
“I am neither pro nor against ivermectin.
“I am pro-engagement and inclusiveness,” Siti Mariah said, citing unspecified “articles” that the drug was effective against Covid-19.
Ministry issues ivermectin warning
The Health Ministry later issued a public warning about ivermectin, stressing that the veterinary drug was unsuitable for human consumption.
It also stated that the drug was not approved for Covid-19 treatment.
The ministry did not refer to Siti Mariah’s comments in its warning.
“Be careful with advertisements for veterinary medicine that claim to treat human diseases.
“As the Covid-19 pandemic becomes more serious, there are irresponsible parties who are disseminating false information about treating and preventing this illness.
“Remember that veterinary drugs are only suitable for treating illnesses suffered by pets and livestock. Do not lose your dignity!” it said in a Facebook post.
It urged the public to only seek medical advice from licensed professionals.
- Mkini
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