Cuba has mobilized its medical corps around the world to distribute a new "wonder drug" that officials there say is capable of treating the new coronavirus despite the United States' strict sanctions that continue to pressure the communist-run island.

The drug, called Interferon Alpha-2B Recombinant (IFNrec), is jointly developed by scientists from Cuba and China, where the coronavirus COVID-19 disease outbreak first emerged late last year. Already active in China since January, the Cuban Medical Brigades began deploying to dozens of nations, providing personnel and products such as its new anti-viral drug to battle the disease that has exceeded 400,000 confirmed cases across the globe. As of Tuesday, over 100,000 people have recovered from the infection and more than 18,000 have died.

Cuba first used advanced interferon techniques to treat dengue fever in the 1980s and later found success in using it to combat HIV, human papillomavirus, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and other diseases. The use of Interferon Alpha-2B Recombinant "prevents aggravation and complications in patients reaching that stage that ultimately can result in death," Cuban biotech expert Luis Herrera Martinez said, according to a recent Yale University Press Blog feature written by the University of Glasgow's Helen Yaffe. She called the treatment a potential "wonder drug" against the new coronavirus.

Yaffe, who recently authored a book on Cuba's post-Soviet economic experience entitled We Are Cuba!, told Newsweek that she knew of at least 15 countries that have contacted Cuba to request the drug, along with "local mayors and hospital directors who are anxious to get hold of the Cuban anti-viral to meet the crisis." Interferon Alpha-2B Recombinant has not been approved to treat COVID-19, but has been proven effective against viruses similar to it.

It has been selected along with 30 other drugs to treat COVID-19 by China's National Health Commission. The World Health Organization will be studying interferon-beta, along with three other drugs, to determine their effectiveness against the new coronavirus.

Cuba's ambitious anti-pandemic efforts are hindered, however, by decades-long U.S. sanctions that one Cuban official described to Newsweek as "the main obstacle not only to respond to major health crises like COVID-19, but the main obstacle to the country's development at any area."

"The lifting of the blockade against Cuba would have an extraordinarily positive impact on Cuba and mostly in the health sector, which has been one of the most damaged areas since the establishment of the blockade almost 60 years ago with more than 3 billion in economic losses," the official added.

Interesting. If it hasn't been tested on a convid-19 patient, they should test it.

Yeah very interesting, but u know how America behaves, they will like to frustrate Cuba's effort, until one of its scientist comes out with a vaccine. That's the world we lilive in.
Even Italy has recruited some of the Cuban medical personnel to come and help them.
Question we felt to ask ourselves is trhat , why is it of late we have not been hearing bad news from China? All bcs of Cuba doctors they involved

Nice one, I had waited to hear the experimental outcome of this particular drug.

Commonsense99:
Nice one, I had waited to hear the experimental outcome of this particular drug.

From research it can see the light of the day, if only it will not be politicking. I see supremacy in this, bcs America does not like anything that has to do with Cuba, even UN Human Rights Department head even made it clear that every sanction should be lifted for now. U can't ban a country that's proffer solution the epidemic.

WhenTrump said yesterday that US is going to open businesses and activities will resume despite the pandemic I knew something is up.

nikdam:
WhenTrump said yesterday that US is going to open businesses and activities will resume despite the pandemic I knew something is up.

Exactly, bcs United Nations Human Rights Department even stated it that every ban should be lifted at this point in time. That the world needs solution and sanction.
It was bcs of this that Italians went secretly and recruited Cuban medical personnel.
All hope is not lost.
PLs let's stop the panic and main a very good hygiene and build our IMMUNE SYSTEM.

nikdam:
WhenTrump said yesterday that US is going to open businesses and activities will resume despite the pandemic I knew something is up.

Simply put....
He bowed to the Chinese superiority.

krokronyash:


Simply put....
He bowed to the Chinese superiority.

Well u are not far from the reality/truth
Let's keep hope alive and stop the anxiety/panic

Let it not be a kind of Medicine that could lead to Zombie like o �

CYBERWEAVER:
Let it not be a kind of Medicine that could lead to Zombie like o �

lolsss, naija no get joy