A SECOND clinical trial to determine the efficacy of Ivermectin for close contacts of Covid-19 patients will be coducted next month, said the Deputy Health Minister I.

       “We will be doing a second Ivermectin clinical trial next month once approval is given.

       “It will be administered to close contacts of Covid-19 patients to determine if they contract the virus while on medication,” said Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali in reply to a supplementary question from Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim (BN-Baling).

       Abdul Azeez wanted to know the status on the use of Ivermectin as there were reports that it could prevent infection among close contacts.

       Earlier, Dr Noor Azmi told the Dewan Rakyat that Malaysia’s clinical trials, revealing that there was no significant difference between those medicated with Ivermectin and those given the standard Covid-19 care, would be published in peer-reviewed medical journals.

       The clinical trials involved 500 patients from 20 hospitals and quarantine centres who were on the medication for five days.

       “Based on safety analysis, those taking Ivermectin had diarrhoea three times higher compared to those under standard care,” he said, adding that due to the findings, the use of Ivermectin will only be allowed in supervised trials.

       Dr Noor Azmi’s reply came as several Opposition MPs continued to ask if private practitioners would be allowed to prescribe the off-label use of Ivermectin, with a few even asking him to stop lecturing the House on the best treatment for Covid-19 patients.

       Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun had to cool things down.

       Dr Noor Azmi said the Health Ministry has also agreed to purchase 150,000 treatment packages of Molnupiravir (a Covid-19 anti-viral pill) which has shown to reduce hospitalisation by 50%.