Otherwise, they can threaten the lives of patients.
The use of untested drugs against coronavirus infection can put the lives of patients at risk. This warning was made by representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO). They stressed that the organization supports traditional medicine, but its funds should be used only after they have successfully passed clinical trials.
ON THIS TOPIC
What organs are affected by the coronavirus. The main thing about the pandemic from foreign media
“There are many types of traditional medicine that are beneficial … However, such remedies must be used after very rigorous testing, as is the case in modern medicine. This is our position,”said WHO Director-General Tedros Adanom Ghebreyesus at a briefing in Geneva.
Michael Ryan, Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Program, also supported him. Answering journalists' questions, he noted that, while recognizing the value of traditional medicine, "you need to be sure that the proposed remedies are tested in the same way as conventional medicines."
“With [scientists] looking for a cure for coronavirus infection, we need to be wary of misleading information [from various sources], especially social media, about the effectiveness of certain drugs,” the WHO fact sheet said. "Many plants and substances are offered without minimum requirements and certification for quality, safety and efficacy."
The use of drugs against COVID-19, which has not passed a full-fledged study, "can pose a threat to people, giving them a false sense of security and distracting their attention from the need to wash their hands and physically distance themselves," WHO experts say. Meanwhile, the organization emphasizes that handwashing and physical distance are "extremely important to prevent COVID-19."
Promotional video:
Check wormwood
Addressing the situation in Africa, where the number of cases of coronavirus infection continues to rise, WHO recalled that "medicinal plants such as wormwood (Artemisia annua), which are considered a possible remedy against COVID-19, should be tested for efficacy and side effects." …
WHO experts believe that drugs for Africans should be tested to the same standards as for the rest of the world. “Even if traditional practices and natural remedies are the source of therapy, it is imperative to establish their efficacy through rigorous clinical trials,” the newsletter says. Such studies usually involve hundreds of people under the supervision of national regulatory agencies, reminds WHO.
The organization assists African nations in research on traditional medicine. In particular, she supported the conduct of clinical trials, which culminated in obtaining approvals in 14 countries for the use of 89 traditional medicines. At the same time, 43 of them were included in the national lists of essential drugs and are now part of the medical arsenal for the treatment of a wide range of diseases, including malaria, diabetes, hypertension and HIV-related diseases.
Author: Konstantin Pribytkov