The South African military will apply to run a clinical trial for the use of a drug known as Heberon to tackle COVID-19, ending a dispute over the illegal importation of the medicine by the South African National Defence Force, the health products regulator said.
The drug, a Cuban product that contains recombinant human interferon alpha-2b, has been touted as a potential treatment for the coronavirus, notes a BusinessTech report.
It has been used to treat various forms of cancer and leukaemia. The application will be examined by the South African Health Products Regulator, it said in a statement last week.
The dispute began when the regulator became aware of the arrival of the drug in the country in November.
[link url="https://businesstech.co.za/news/trending/468832/illegally-imported-cuba-covid-19-drug-to-be-trialled-in-south-africa/"]Full BusinessTech report[/link]
See also MedicalBrief archives:
[link url="https://www.medicalbrief.co.za/archives/hawks-and-sahpra-raid-for-covid-cure-blocked-by-sandf/"]Hawks and SAHPRA raid for ‘COVID cure’ blocked by SANDF[/link]
[link url="https://www.medicalbrief.co.za/archives/ag-sandf-already-paid-some-of-r260m-for-cuban-covid-wonder-cure/"]AG: SANDF already paid some of R260m for Cuban COVID ‘wonder cure’[/link]
[link url="https://www.medicalbrief.co.za/archives/cuban-anti-covid-drug-cost-r200m-and-used-on-only-1-patient/"]Cuban anti-COVID drug cost R200m and used on only 1 patient[/link]
[link url="https://www.medicalbrief.co.za/archives/sandf-spends-r200m-on-unapproved-cuban-covid-drug/"]SANDF spends R200m on unapproved Cuban COVID drug[/link]