NAFDAC okays clinical trial of Maurice Iwu’s COVID-19 drug

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The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says the herbal-based COVID-19 drug proposed by renowned professor of Pharmacognosy, Maurice Iwu, is undergoing clinical trial.

NAFDAC said it received 39 other herbal formulations for approval for the treatment of the novel coronavirus.

Mr Iwu, who heads the Imo State COVID-19 taskforce, had created optimism in April after announcing that his firm, Bioresources Development Group, is developing a drug for the contagion.

“The work on the drug we are developing is still going on. We are encouraged by the result we are getting. We are getting very positive signs,” he had said. “Luckily, the drug is a safe one. It is drug already in use.”

However, speaking on Tuesday, NAFDAC’s Director-General, Mojisola Adeyeye, said Iwu’s herbal formulations and others are currently undergoing review to ensure their safety for use.

According to her, if not well researched, herbal medicine could kill fast.

“In March 2019, we inaugurated the Nigerian Herbal Medicine Product Committee (HMPC) to bridge the gap often created between traditional medicine practitioners and researchers.

“COVID-19 pandemic created an opportunity and we have been encouraging traditional medicine practitioners to submit their herbal formulations for evaluation.

“We also developed guidelines on how to register herbal medicine online and the labelling of the product.

“Prof. Maurice Iwu’s application for approval of a herbal medicine for management of COVID-19 is also part of the 40 applications we are reviewing for safety.

“We use animal for safety test to ensure the formulation will not kill anybody,” she said.

Mrs Adeyeye noted that there is no cure for COVID-19 yet and warned that any claim of cure must be subjected to clinical trials following an approved clinical trial protocol.

“Until a clinical trial is done in a scientific manner, no herbal medicine manufacturer can claim cure or effectiveness to treat COVID-19 associated symptoms.

“I believe that Nigeria’s herbal medicines may be able to cure COVID-19.

“They have a lot of potential and it is time to translate research of herbs into products of proven safety and efficacy, for the benefit of our people,” Mrs Adeyeye said.

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