Ivermectin, Doxycycline Dropped From List of COVID-19 Drugs by Health Ministry

The WHO had already advised against the use of Ivermectin, an anti-parasite drug usually prescribed to treat certain parasitic roundworm infections, as a prophylaxis treatment for coronavirus.

New Delhi: The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) under the Union Health Ministry has revised the COVID-19 management guidelines and decided against the usage of certain strong medicines for mild or asymptomatic cases of coronavirus. According to the new guidelines issued on May 27, the health ministry has written to the doctors’ community to drop drugs like hydroxychloroquine, ivermectin, doxycycline, zinc, multivitamins etc from prescription.

The government has retained only antipyretic drugs for fever and antitussive for cold symptoms. The ministry has even discouraged medical practitioners from prescribing unnecessary tests related to COVID-19 infection such as CT scan.

“No other Covid-19 specific medication is required. The patient may have to be investigated further if symptoms persist or deteriorate,” the ministry stated.

Click HERE to read the complete DGHS guidelines

The WHO had already advised against the use of Ivermectin, an anti-parasite drug usually prescribed to treat certain parasitic roundworm infections, as a prophylaxis treatment for coronavirus.

The May 27 order had also restricted Remdesivir to select moderate/severe hospitalised patients who are on supplemental oxygen within 10 days of the infection. Another drug in high demand, Tocilizumab is an immunosuppressant medicine that the DGHS said should be used only in severe and critically ill patients.

The second wave has also led to a spurt in cases of black fungus, which experts believe is due to the indiscriminate use of steroids to treat coronavirus.

India had logged 1,00,636 new coronavirus cases today, the lowest caseload recorded in two months. A total of 2427 deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours, as per the Health Ministry today morning. The active cases stand at 14,01,609.