CAPE TOWN - Following the much publicised Covid-Organics, a herbal drink alleged to cure the Coronavirus.
Madagascar has now launched the capsule version of the drink, called CVO+ based on a plant, artemisinin with proven anti-malarial properties.
It is reported that the capsule, whose contents' effects are yet to be scientifically tested, is to be sold across the globe with 275 million in stock and the capacity to produce 32,000 CVO+ capsules per day.
Pharmalagasy general manager Pierre Raoelina said: “On the CVO+, there are two variants. One is presented as preventive and the other is a curative version. For the moment what we are launching on the market is the preventive version.”
A Phase 3 clinical trial is expected to begin within a few days on 120 patients to test the curative CVO+, which is believed to help cure Covid-19. Pharmalagasy expects results from this clinical trial within two months.
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The launch of herbal remedies has received a wide range of scientific criticism mostly from outside Africa. However, this is expected to change after the World Health Organization (WHO) has set rules for testing African herbal medicine as a potential treatment for the novel coronavirus infection.
“If a traditional medicine product is found to be safe, efficacious and quality-assured, WHO will recommend (it) for a fast-tracked, large-scale local manufacturing. Phase III clinical trials are pivotal in fully assessing the safety and efficacy of a new medical product,” said Prosper Tumusiime, a regional WHO director.
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Although WHO has warned against its use and distribution from the capsule, it was reported that Charlotte Faty Ndiaye, whose a WHO representative in the country, congratulated the president for leading "the fight against this global pandemic" at the launch.
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