DEAR Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah,

GREETINGS and peace be with you. The reason for this email is to bring to your attention the latest review paper on ivermectin by Kory et al (2021) hoping that MoH will seriously consider hastening the use of ivermectin both as a prophylaxis and therapeutic agent for Covid-19. In the current situation where the infective rate is escalating, there is a pressing need to use a safe and proven medication to complement the vaccination campaign. 

Four months ago, in January you mentioned that MoH would be conducting clinical trial to ascertain the efficacy of ivermectin. To this day we have heard nothing of the study. 

Kory and colleagues have provided very clear and supported evidence regarding the efficacy of ivermectin in Covid-19 as follows:

1. Since 2012, multiple in vitro studies have demonstrated that ivermectin inhibits the replication of many viruses, including influenza, zika, dengue, and others.

2. Ivermectin inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication and binding to host tissue through several observed and proposed mechanisms.

3. Ivermectin has potent anti-inflammatory properties with in vitro data demonstrating profound inhibition of both cytokine production and transcription of nuclear factor-kB (NF-kB), the most potent mediator of inflammation. 

4. Ivermectin significantly diminishes viral load and protects against organ damage in multiple animal models when infected with SARS-CoV-2 or similar coronaviruses. 

5. Ivermectin prevents transmission and development of Covid-19 disease in those exposed to infected patients. 

6. Ivermectin hastens recovery and prevents deterioration in patients with mild to moderate disease treated early after symptoms. 

7. Ivermectin hastens recovery and avoidance of ICU admission and death in hospitalised patients.

8. Ivermectin reduces mortality in critically ill patients with Covid-19.

9. Ivermectin leads to temporally associated reductions in case fatality rates in regions after ivermectin distribution campaigns.

10. The safety, availability, and cost of ivermectin are nearly unparalleled given its low incidence of important drug interactions along with only mild and rare side effects observed in almost 40 years of use and billions of doses administered. 

11. The World Health Organisation has long included ivermectin on its List of Essential Medicines.

Supporting studies for the above are provided in the review paper of Kory and colleagues. 

We hope Tan Sri and those involved in research in MoH find time to read the review paper by Kory and colleagues and take appropriate action. Thank you. – May 10, 2021.

* Wong Ang Peng is a retired army captain and the National Patriots Association public communications director. He is also president of the Society of Natural Health Malaysia and chairman of the Naturopathic Medicine Association Malaysia.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.