Malacañang warned the public against the opinion of “fake experts” who say that Covid-19 vaccines are more dangerous than the virus itself.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a virtual briefing that Covid-19 vaccines are effective in controlling the spread of the virus and that the public should not believe the opinion of persons who pose as “experts”.
”That is not true. Vaccines are recognized around the world and are approved by WHO and the FDA,” Roque said.
Roque was reacting to the statement made by Dr. Romeo Quijano, a toxicologist who claimed in a radio interview that Covid-19 vaccines are more dangerous.
“Sa aking pag susuri, sa aking pag aaral, matagal ko nang pinag aaralan itong mga bakunang ito. Mas delikado yang mga bakuna na pinapalaganap ngayon kesa sa virus mismo,” Quijano said when asked if he has already gotten his Covid-19 vaccine in an interview with DZRH.
Instead of getting vaccinated, Quijano advised the public to strengthen one’s immune system with the help of turmeric, nalta jute (saluyot), vitamin C, virgin coconut oil, and ivermectin to fight against the Covid-19 virus.
Without naming Quijano, the Department of Health (DOH) earlier released a statement condemning health professionals “who spread false information specially on life-saving interventions such as the Covid-19 vaccines.”
“There is a growing number of real-world evidence globally which have consistently shown that Covid-19 vaccines have led to significant reductions in hospitalizations and deaths among vaccinated individuals,” the statement said.
DOH also condemned media outlets for allowing individuals to use their platforms to spread false information against Covid-19 vaccines.
Meanwhile, the University of the Philippines – College of Medicine’s Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, where Quijano used to teach, said in a statement that they support an evidence-based approach in addressing the Covid-19 pandemic as well as vaccinations.
“Based on our evaluation of the evidence, the benefits of vaccination far outweigh the risks,” it said.
The DOH and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) earlier warned the public against the use of the anti-parasitic drug ivermectin as a treatment for Covid-19 saying the drug is only used for treating animals.
“Ivermectin is NOT APPROVED by the FDA for treatment of any viral infection,” the DOH said in its Facebook page.
“The registered Ivermectin veterinary products are only approved for use in the prevention of heartworm disease and treatment of internal and external parasites in certain animal species,” the DOH said. Lance Ezekiel Pastores