‘Madagascar’s COVID Organics cannot cure COVID-19’ – Nigeria’s NIPRD

In a statement released on Sunday, 19 July, the NIPRD said that COVID Organics cannot successfully cure Coronavirus as claimed by the president of Madagascar.

The drug, which contains Artemisia, however, proved effective to cure cough, working like cough suppressant, dihydrocodeine.

The statement read: “Safety studies show that COVID ORGANICS (CVO) products do not alter the normal physiology of the animals.

“CVO caused a significant decrease in the platelet counts although the values are within the physiological range for Wistar rats.

 “The increase in alkaline phosphatase observed in the CVO female group may indicate a cause of concern although the values are within the physiological ranges for Wistar rats and this was not observed in the organs.

“On the whole CVO can be considered safe based on the model used which did not cover other routes of administration, effects of long-term use, or organ histological evaluation of the test systems.

“CVO reduced cough frequency with the maximum dose tested producing an effect equivalent to that produced by the centrally acting cough-suppressant, dihydrocodeine.

“To further characterise this product based on its effect on the respiratory tract, it will be important to investigate its effect on tracheal mucus expectoration.

“While CVO dose-dependently reduced general febrile response, the effect was not sustained and was less than for indomethacin.”

The Director-General of NIPRD, Dr. Obi Adigwe added:

“Well, I cannot tell you what they have done. I can only tell you what we have done here.

“The analysis we gave in our report is more detail than anything that had come from their country.

“They are hiding the analysis of their own product. If you go online, you cannot get the level of analysis that we gave.

“They are hiding a lot of things and I think it is possible that they know that they don’t have strong science backing up their claim. But our own analysis does not show any proof that it can cure COVID-19.”