TEHRAN, Iran, April.3
Trend:
Prescription, production and distribution of Japanese drug Favipiravir for coronavirus patients in Iran is only possible by the Health Ministry and the Food and Drug Organization approval, said the National Headquarters to Fight Coronavirus spokesman Kiyanoush Jahanpour, Trend reports citing IRNA.
"The drug has been tested on COVID-19 patients in clinical trials, which revealed it has a relative impact on the patients, but there isn't enough of solid scientific based to back up the effects of the drug," he said referring to a comment from Chinese officials that Favipiravir is effective for the coronavirus treatment.
"There have been claims that Iran has tested the Japanese drug on 30 patients that had results. So far this didn't happen, since if it did, the Health Ministry would have provided reports about it," he said.
"Japan has donated 3,000 doses of Favipiravir drug to Iran, while China's Red Cross has donated 15,000 dose of the same drug to Iran, and it is being used for clinical studies in various hospitals. We're currently studying and evaluating it," he added.
Iran is one of the countries heavily affected by the rapidly-spreading coronavirus. According to recent reports from the Iranian officials, over 53,000 people have been infected, 3,294 people have already died. Meanwhile, over 17,000 have reportedly recovered from the disease.
The country continues to apply strict measures to contain the further spread. Reportedly, the disease was brought to Iran by a businessman from Iran's Qom city, who went on a business trip to China, despite official warnings. The man died later from the disease.
The Islamic Republic only announced its first infections and deaths from the coronavirus on Feb. 19.