A group of 55 South African doctors and medical practitioners has launched an urgent court application seeking wide-ranging orders to enable them to personally use and prescribe Ivermectin to their patients, reports TimesLIVE.

The group initially attempted to join other applications seeking similar relief but say those did not address the dire situation faced by doctors and their patients who want effective access to the drug.

They claim that their applications to the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra), under its 'compassionate use programme', have not been approved and, to their knowledge, none has been so far.

'We are not asking for it (Ivermectin) to be included in Covid-19 treatment protocols. We are not asking that it be made freely available without prescription or medical supervision. We are not asking that it replace vaccines,' the group said.

'We have varying levels of optimism on its efficacy. But we are all of the firm conviction that it should be a tool in our arsenal to fight Covid-19 in a shockingly empty tool box.'

Sahpra has filed a notice of intention to oppose the application, set down for 22 February in the Gauteng High Court (Pretoria), but is yet to file any papers.

The doctors are asking the court to issue several declaratory orders: that all South Africans are entitled to access the drug; that doctors are entitled to access and prescribe it; and that Sahpra, the Minister of Health and the President have failed in their duties to take all steps to investigate, regulate and make the drug available.

They want the court to direct the respondents to do all necessary to permit pharmacists to compound the drug, to provide specifications for this, and to permit importers, suppliers and retailers to sell it.

Full TimesLIVE report