By INS Contributors
 
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia--MAECC has been correct all along in arguing that if ivermectin was mass distributed as prophylaxis and early treatment, the infection and mortality rates would be reduced, and the epidemic brought to a quick halt.

A just-published large-scale scientific study conducted in Brazil from July to December 2020 has confirmed MAECC’s argument.
 
The said study by Kerr et al, Ivermectin prophylaxis used for COVID-19 reduces infection and mortality rates: a city-wide, prospective observational study of 220,517 subjects using propensity score matched, is a pre-print article in ResearchGate.

The authors concluded that regular use of ivermectin as a prophylactic agent was associated with significantly reduced COVID-19 infection, hospitalisation, and mortality rates.  
 
From the total 220,517 subjects, two cohorts of 3,034 subjects matched by age sex and comorbidities infected with COVID-19 (PCR positive) were compared.

The results showed the ivermectin cohort had 70 percent reduced mortality, 67 percent reduced hospitalisation, and a relative reduction of 7 percent in infection rate ratio compared to the non-ivermectin cohort.  
 
Besides, after the ivermectin prophylactic programme was introduced in the city, COVID-19 hospitalisation rate decreased from 6.8 percent to 1.8 percent, while mortality rate decreased from 3.4 percent to 1.4 percent.  
 
The mortality outcome in the study of Kerr and colleagues corroborates with other studies that also showed significant reduction in mortality with ivermectin – Kory et al (69 percent), Bryant et al (62 percent), Lawrie et al (85 percent), Nardelli et al (79 percent), and Hariyanto et al (69 percent).

Even our MoH-sponsored ivermectin study, Ivermectin Treatment Efficacy in High Risk Patients (I-TECH), that took place from June to September 2021 showed there was reduction in mortality rate in the ivermectin group.

Current reports of positive outcome in the usage of ivermectin on a population wide basis in Indonesia, Japan and Bangladesh corroborate with the population study of Kerr and colleagues.  
 
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the cumulated number of COVID-19 cases in our country is 2,754,513, and 31,428 deaths (as of 30 Dec 21). The infection, hospitalisation and mortality rates could have been much lower had ivermectin been widely and officially disseminated to the public.  
 
We were correct all along in our stand on ivermectin.
 
Capt Dr Wong Ang Peng (Rtd)
MAECC Secretariate  
 
This statement is co-signed by:
Datuk Dr Selvam Rengasamy on behalf of the members of SAHAMM
(Society for Advancement of Hormones and Healthy Aging Medicine Malaysia)
 
Dr Vijaendreh Subramaniam on behalf of the members of MAAFIM
(Malaysian Association for the Advancement of Functional and Interdisciplinary Medicine)
 
Connie Lee Yoke Kwan on behalf of the members of MSCM
(Malaysian Society of Complementary Medicine)
 
Saroja Theavy Balakrishnan on behalf of the members of SNH
(Society of Natural Health Malaysia)
 
Prof Dr Chong Wee Fong on behalf of the members of NMAM
(Naturopathic Medical Association Malaysia)
 
Dato Nadzim Johan on behalf of the members of PPIM
(Persatuan Pengguna Islam Malaysia)