CARACAS, Venezuela – Nicolás Maduro, president of Venezuela, is counting on another ‘miracle’ to save his citizens from Covid-19, and promotes a secret solution without published scientific evidence that he claims will conquer the new coronavirus.
“Ten drops under the tongue every four hours and the miracle was done,” Maduro said in a television show on Sunday. “It is a powerful antiviral, very powerful, that neutralizes the coronavirus.”
But his government has not released any evidence. He even kept the name of the ‘brilliant Venezuelan mind’ secret behind it, saying he should protect them. Scientists at home and abroad have remained skeptical. The local National Academy of Medicine said it appears to be from ordinary thyme.
This is not the first time the Venezuelan leader has promoted a drug. In October, he informed the Pan-American Health Organization that Venezuelan scientists were discovering a molecule that destroys the replication ability of the new coronavirus. He has not spoken of that development since. He also promoted a special herbal tea that he said could ward off the virus and other ailments.
Other leaders also accepted solutions that had been rejected by scientific studies. Former US President Donald Trump and Brazilian Jair Bolsonaro have both stubbornly advocated a malaria drug despite repeated studies finding it ineffective and potentially dangerous.
The new coronavirus has not hit Venezuela as hard as other South American countries such as Brazil, Ecuador and Peru.
Maduro said the treatment, which he called carvativir, has been being tested for nine months among Venezuelans who are sick with the coronavirus. He said he plans to distribute it nationwide and also to other countries.
Dr. David Boulware, professor of medicine and a physician in infectious diseases at the University of Minnesota Medical School, notes the lack of scientific evidence.
“These are, just like with other things, people trying to sell magic beans as the solution to a complicated problem,” Boulware told The Associated Press on Tuesday. “It would be great if it worked, but I would love to see the data.”
According to Venezuela’s National Academy of Medicine, it is wise … to wait for more data from the carvativir tests according to international protocols. “
Since October, Venezuela has been part of the trials for the Sputnik V vaccine from Russia, a strong ally of Maduro’s government. Venezuela signed a contract with Russia in December to buy the vaccine, but the vaccination will not start until April.
Rosa, 58, said authorities needed to do more to get Venezuelans vaccinated earlier. She said colleagues at a local health center and some neighbors died of Covid-19.
“I think we need the vaccine, not these drops,” she said. “I think it will have no effect.”
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