The National Drug Authority has finally authorized COVIDEX, a locally made herbal remedy as ‘supportive treatment’ for COVID-19 after days of back and forth engagements between the regulator and its developer, Prof Patrick Ogwang.
Professor Patrick Engeu Ogwang is a renowned researcher in herbal medicines, head of pharmacy at Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) and a former executive member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda.
According to NDA, COVIDEX has been notified to be sold in licensed drug outlets for supportive treatment in management of viral infections but not as a cure of COVID 19. It has granted COVIDEX an approval based on initial assessment, published literature & safety studies conducted by the innovator.
Last week, the NDA confirmed that it had met a team from Jena Herbals led by Ogwang and it had agreed to follow these necessary processes.
After the meeting, Ogwang issued a statement saying that more proof was needed that Covidex worked to relieve the symptoms of COVID-19, and that the agency had advised him to change the product’s name so it could not be associated with COVID-19.
“Only a few people have used it so far to relive their symptoms of COVID-19. More proof is needed to show it works against COVID-19. Clinic trials that prove as medicine or effective has not yet been done due to funding limitations,” said the statement signed by Prof. Ogwang.