FDA takes down 48 unauthorized online ads of molnupiravir

By Ma. Teresa Montemayor | Philippine News Agency

MANILA – Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Director-General Oscar Gutierrez said Tuesday (March 29) night that all unauthorized listings and postings online of the antiviral drug molnupiravir have been taken down due to being unregistered. 

In his report to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, Gutierrez said the FDA found 48 advertisements of molnupiravir over online platforms and social media consisting of nine brands.

These are Molnarz, Movfor, Moluzen, Molenzavir, Molmed, Mpiravir, Zero Vir, Molnuvid, and Movir.

“Violation po ‘yan ng Republic Act 9711 dahil hindi naman po sila mga rehistradong produkto,” Gutierrez said.

Only Molnarz, Movfor, Moluzen, Molenzavir, Molmed were issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) and compassionate special permit by the FDA, he added.

“Anyway, ito nga po ay na-i-coordinate natin sa mga may-ari po ng platform and even drugstore. All listings and postings were taken down naman po (We have coordinated these with the platform owners and even drugstore[s]. All listings and postings were taken down),” he said.

10 listings were removed from different online selling platforms, 36 from two social media platforms, and two from an FDA-licensed pharmacy with an online delivery account.

As for the availability of COVID-related medicine, about 173 more were added to the 1,538 registered products.

These products include analgesics, antipyretics, cough and cold preparations, anti-diarrhea medicines, antihistamines, and vitamin C which are used to manage COVID-19 symptoms.

“At ito pa ay madadagdagan po sa susunod na mga araw kasi nag-institute po tayo sa FDA ng streamlining of process at automation po ng system para mapabilis pa po ang pagrehistro ng mga produkto,” Gutierrez said. (PNA)-ngs