COVID-Organics to be tested by NAFDAC
The COVID-Organics, a traditional formulation against the novel coronavirus, (COVID-19) must be subjected to the processes of scientific verification before being administered on Nigerians.
President Muhammadu Buhari stated this on Saturday when he received samples of the herbal formulation at the Presidential villa on Saturday.
Buhari, who received the drug when he had an audience with President Umaro Sissoco Embalo of Guinea Bissau who brought along with him the samples of the traditional medicine, as shared to African nations by Madagascar, disclosed that he will listen to science before allowing traditional or any new medicines to be administered on Nigerians.
He said his position on all such herbal or traditional medicinal postulates had remained the same.
“We have our institutions, systems, and processes in the country. Any such formulations should be sent to them for verification. I will not put it to use without the endorsement of our institutions”, the President said.
NAFDAC to speed up laboratory analysis of COVID-Organics
Meanwhile, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration, NAFDAC promised that it will speed up a laboratory analysis of the COVID-Organics.
In a statement released on Sunday by the Director of Public Relations, Dr. Abubakar Jimoh, the food and drugs regulator said the agency’s Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye has directed the immediate examination of the drug once it received it from the government.
Jimoh noted that the drug will to the minister of Health who will in turn hand it over to NAFDAC through the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19.
Also, read COVID:19: President Buhari approves importation of Madagascar’s COVID organics
He said: “When the drug arrives, it will go to the Minister of Health who will in turn hand it over to NAFDAC through the PTF. Itis after that we would start our laboratory examination. It will be subjected to the normal procedure.
“We would expedite action on this because everyone is anxiously waiting for the result. We would speed it up, but it will still have to go through the normal laboratory analysis and medical evaluation.
“Unlike the orthodox medicine, with the herbal medicine, it is given linctus status, it is not given full registration and that means it has a life span of two years, unlike normal drugs that has a life span of five years. So, this is what will be applicable to the Madagascar drug. We would ensure that the claims being made are true.”
Jimoh said the normal procedure for a lab examination was three months but that given the situation at hand, the process would be prioritised without compromising the efficiency of the process.
He added that the drug will not go through a clinical trial at this stage, saying that it is only when it wants to through registration that it will be subjected to a clinical trial.
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