The SCA yesterday set aside a controversial supervisory order, granted in April 2021, compelling the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) to report back to court every three months on access to ivermectin for use in the treatment of Covid-19 patients.

News24 reports that the court ruled there was no evidence to justify the order made by Gauteng High Court (Pretoria) Judge Cassim Sardiwalla, that affected parties had not asked for the order, and that they had not been heard before he made it.

The judge also failed to provide his reasons for making it, the court said.

The issue has its genesis in four applications, one by the ACDP in 2021 against Sahpra seeking access to ivermectin for the treatment of Covid-19.

At that time, Sahpra – which was wary of its use, saying there was no reliable research to prove its efficacy – had already put in place its ‘controlled compassionate use’ programme in response to reports of illicit ivermectin-containing products entering the SA market.

The programme was stopped in May.

In terms of that programme, permission was granted to five importers of unregistered oral solid dosage forms of ivermectin.

Health facilities were permitted to hold bulk stock, but individual applications were still required. Sahpra said it would monitor its use.

The ACDP and others approached the court for orders, directing Sahpra to remove restrictions and do ‘all things necessary to regulate and ensure the manufacture’ of ivermectin until such time as clinical evidence demonstrated that it was not effective in the treatment of Covid-19.

Full News24 report