MANILA - The Department of Health on Wednesday cautioned the public anew against using anti-parasitic drug ivermectin as treatment for COVID-19.

"We have to wait for the scientific data coming from the bigger clinical, randomized trials abroad," Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega told ANC.

Vega was reacting to a report that 2 lawmakers -- Sagip party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta and Anakalusugan party-list Rep. Michael Defensor -- were planning to distribute the drug to the public despite warnings from health organizations and various medical societies.

"First, we don't know if this will be beneficial or it can be harmful to the constituents. So, the stand of WHO (World Health Organization) [and] the stand of DOH, it has to pass through the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) for permit and regulation," he said.

The country's drug regulatory body has only granted compassionate special permit to use ivermectin to 5 hospitals as investigational drug to treat the respiratory disease.

"The FDA has given us the directive that ivermectin is still an investigational and really an experimental drug. In other words, it's not fit for any kind of human consumption," Vega said.

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In an advisory it issued last month, the FDA said registered oral and intravenous preparations of ivermectin in the country were veterinary products.

They were approved for use in animals for the prevention of heartworm disease and treatment of internal and external parasites in certain animal species.

Meanwhile, registered ivermectin products for human use were in topical formulations under prescription use only. This is used for the treatment of external parasites, such as head lice, and skin conditions, such as rosacea.

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