MANILA, Philippines – The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Monday (March 30) warned the public against the use of a drug cocktail called ‘Prodex-B’ as an anti-viral treatment for novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
In an advisory, the FDA said the drug combination of Procaine and Dexamethasone with Vitamin B or Prodex-B is not registered in the agency.
The FDA issued the warning following “baseless claims” circulating on social media that this drug cocktail has promising effects against viral infections and diseases.
“Procaine is an anesthetic used to reduce pain on injections, while Dexamethasone is a corticosteroid which must be used cautiously due to its side effects including immunosuppression or weaker immune system leading to vulnerability to infections,” the advisory reads.
The FDA said that unregistered drug products have no guaranteed quality, safety and efficacy data which may lead to patient harm.
The agency advised those who may have received Prodex-B to monitor their health condition for any adverse reactions, and such should be given immediate medical attention.
They may report their cases to the FDA by messaging emails at cdrr@fda.gov.ph and ereport@fda.gov.ph.
The FDA also called on health facilities and practitioners to follow the recommended treatment guidelines for COVID-19 patients issued by the Department of Health.
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