SAHPRA'S so-called controlled compassionate access guideline is nothing more than an iron hand in a silk glove. There is nothing compassionate about the intentionally ridiculous expectation that sick people must wait for medical practitioners to fill out 7-11 page forms and spend 24 hours afraid that applications will be denied as patients are dying and families are traumatised. Ivermectin is an astonishingly safe drug, according to the NIH, and it is an essential drug according to the WHO. SAHPRA’s bizarre anti-science position ignores that fact that C19 viral load is highest before symptoms occur, and that Ivermectin is effective for prophylaxis or prevention of Covid. To deny Ivermectin as prevention, enables the virus to spread among our people, burdening our tragically broken healthcare system.
To pile more horror on this predictable guideline trust upon the public yesterday, ahead of a potential C19 3rd wave, is the fact that SAHPRA expects medical practitioners to provide sensitive and private patient information to them. Not only is this a violation of dignity enshrined in our Constitution, and Oath ethics, but it also violates the POPI Act. We have no faith in SAHPRA’s ability to keep this information secure, given their clear backlog and capacity issues. It is possible that this information will end up with medical aids, who may use this information to decline claims.
Furthermore, the obstacle of SAHPRA only allowing suppliers approved by them to provide Ivermectin creates another burden on an unequal health care system, and favours larger suppliers who have financial muscle. There is no mention of the fact that Ivermectin can be easily compounded in South Africa, which would avoid the delay and risk of import. We have also not seen what will happen to Ivermectin stock being confiscated, details on SAHPRA’s review committees (and if any conflicts of interest exist), and, any apology to harassed and criminalised HCWs.
It is bizarre that Ivermectin is subjected to this bureaucratic dictatorship, when we know that it is a Nobel prize-winning drug endorsed by the likes of Prof Paul E Marik, Dr Tess Lawrie and Dr Andrew Hill. To quote Prof Marik: "It is absurd that Ivermectin has become a political and economic issue. This is science and medicine. Ivermectin is a wonder drug. It defies logic that it is not already accepted and rolled out for Covid-19. Enough suffering. This immoral ban is a crime against humanity. With a holistic approach, Ivermectin could turn this pandemic around." We further quote ICU Chief Dr Nathi Mdlala: "If ivermectin was 50% effective (compared with the published 83% improvement in survival rates reported in the meta-analysis by Dr Andrew Hill), it would have saved just more than 4,000 patients since December 21 2020. With a 75% reduction in mortality, we would have saved more than 6,000 lives (300 per day).” Yet, SAHPRA’s social media illustrates one narrative (negative to Ivermectin) and one agenda (vaccines).
SAHPRA and the Department of Health have failed our nation. Most treacherous, is that they violate the rights to choice, dignity, health, and life of human beings. SAHPRA and others must be held accountable for every death that is as a result of their failures since March 2020, or at least June 2020. This includes their disregard for evidence proving PCR tests are fatally flawed. SAHARI therefore calls for an urgent people-lead commission of inquiry, including but not limited to, direct and indirect funding conflict of interest issues at SAHPRA, DoH, and related.
#TeamSAHARI
29 January 2021