Will the Minister make a statement on the latest credible evidence on the use of Ivermectin in the prophylaxis and treatment of COVID-19, as has recently been introduced in Slovakia?
Whilst I am aware that ivermectin has been approved for use in the treatment of COVID-19 in Slovakia, we need to conclude our own clinical studies before deciding whether or not to recommend it for use here in the UK.
Ivermectin is a medicine used to treat parasitic infections. Oral use is not licensed in the UK. However in some parts of the world, where parasitic infections are common, ivermectin tablets are widely available.
The Welsh Government, through Health and Care Research Wales, is involved in UK-wide research to investigate potential treatments (vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics) in response to the Coronavirus pandemic. This includes involvement in the UK Urgent Public Health (UPH) Panel set up to prioritise approval of crucial studies for the effective care of the severely ill, as well as patients in the community.
The UPH has recently approved ivermectin as an arm in the PRINCIPLE study. PRINCIPLE is a nationwide clinical study from the University of Oxford to find treatments for the over 50s that can be taken at home with the aim of helping people with Covid symptoms get better quickly and stop them needing hospitalisation.
Trial results for ivermectin have been reported from other countries including Egypt, Bangladesh, Iran and Iraq. However, different trials used different doses and durations of treatment and there was variation in patient selection criteria and the clinical outcomes measured. Several clinical trials based in South America are expected to report in the next month or so, which will support future meta-analyses.
RAPID-C19 is a multi-agency initiative established by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) which aims to get COVID-19 treatments to NHS patients quickly and safely. Wales is represented on this group with other partners including the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency. Rapid-C19 processes include scanning all national and international trials for COVID-19 treatments and appraising the evidence. Further information is expected from the group regarding ivermectin as soon as meta-analyses data are sufficiently robust to inform decisions about its potential in the management of Covid-19.