With the plethora of misleading, and potentially dangerous information regarding Madagascar's purported covid-19 cure, Covid-organics (CVO), I did a little digging came up with the following:

Facts about covid-organics (CVO) drink:
• Launched by the president of Madagascar on April 21st with claims it “gives result in just seven days” source
• Developed by the Malagasy Institute for Applied Research (IMRA)

So what’s the problem? There is no published data, no peer-reviewed evidence, just fictional claims:
• Even by its admission, the agent was used in less than 20 twenty patients which is ridiculously low and in no way powered* to detect possible anti-covid effect.
• The agent allegedly cured two persons – no evidence to substantiate this
• There is no evidence to suggest that the relatively low cases and absence of covid-related deaths rate in the country is due to the drink
• Even the country’s medical academy chided the president for such unfounded claims, insisting, “It is a medicine for which scientific evidence has not yet been established, and which risks damaging the health of the population, in particular that of children”. source

So are we saying the whole thing might be a giant hoax?

By no means, NO! The active agent artemisinin, apart from malaria treatment, has demonstrated its ubiquity against other diseases
• treatment of certain cancers and schistosomiasis.
• A published review documents its activity against cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and possibly HIV 1** soruce
• Chinese researchers found invitro activity against Sars-Cov-1, the variant that occurred in 2003, and closely related to Sar-cov-2, which the causative organism of the current pandemic. source

So yes, it IS possible that the so called herbal drink might be active, however, this must be properly demonstrated and not these cirus shows.

Urgent next steps

It sha work on some people

Urgent Next Steps:

A well designed, properly powered clinical trial, preferably a randomized one, should be urgently conducted.

If they lack the capacity to do so, Madagascar should reach out to other countries for support. Gratifyingly, WHO has shown willingness to assist.

Interim results should be published, and if preliminary efficacy is established, countries can commence immediate emergency use in some settings. This can be done even if final results are still pending.

I don't know some of us in Africa are so daft. Must all approved drugs come from the scientific community...mtcheww.

@ OP, no nation will order herbal drug dat is not showing any positive result against the disease dey intend to cure.

Secondly, if they (Madagascar) agree to send it to South Africa for analysis, then there is good news dat the herbal tonic is working and dey need an outsider to prove you and damn WHO wrong.

Finally OP, did China disclose what dey used to treat their covid-19 patients in Wuhan? Why can't you leave another man success and work on your own? after all there are many different approach to deal with a disease and such requires using different novel drugs produced by different scientist to achieve such goals.

dirtydiva:
@ OP, no nation will order herbal drug dat is not showing any positive result against the disease dey intend to cure.

Secondly, if they (Madagascar) agree to send it to South Africa for analysis, then there is good news dat the herbal tonic is working and dey need an outsider to prove you and damn WHO wrong.

Finally OP, did China disclose what dey used to treat their covid-19 patients in Wuhan? Why can't you leave another man success and work on your own? after all there are many different approach to deal with a disease and such requires using different novel drugs produced by different scientist to achieve such goals.

So why haven't released details of the so called result? Why rush to the press to announce so called cure when there was no evidence to support it? To the extent the president was asking everyone including school children to take regular sips as a way of preventing covid-19.

Did you not read where even the country's medical academy blasted the president for such recklessness and irresponsibility?

@bolded, I might as well come out tomorrow and claim that walnut mixed with beniseed has successfully cured three patients in my backyard, and claim its "my own method"

The truth is, I can understand the emotions here. With the ravaging impact of covid-19 across the world, people are scared and desperate and very easily exploited by any nonsense claim out there.

WE saw it in the ealry days of HIV/AIDS when people allegedly took maggots in the hope of getting cured, we saw it ebola, and its here again. Unscrupulous folks will always take advantage of the situation for whatever gains.

IT is sheer cruelty when the likes of political leaders use their influence to make unfounded claims in order to be seen as the 'hero'. Those who are more enlightened, who urge caution are then seen as having hidden agendas.

There is a reason why science sets a rigorous standard before any agent can be certified as a possible cure for any disease. Almost every drug commercially available passed through that process.

alezzy13:


So why haven't released details of the so called result? Why rush to the press to announce so called cure when there was no evidence to support it? To the extent the president was asking everyone including school children to take regular sips as a way of preventing covid-19.

Did you not read where even the country's medical academy blasted the president for such recklessness and irresponsibility?

@bolded, I might as well come out tomorrow and claim that walnut mixed with beniseed has successfully cured three patients in my backyard, and claim its "my own method"

The president will not risk his life taken a herbal tonic dat is not sure of any relief to covid-19, and African countries dat are going for it might have seen the result of the said tonic.

Secondly, US offered a billion+ to them in support just dat their regulatory commission is not happy dat they were bypassed just as producing a herbal medicine and you bypass NAFDAC, dey will cry foul so as to show dat dey are bn sideline