CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC)  – The St Lucia Medical and Dental Council (SLMDC) on Friday defended its decision to suspend a medical practitioner for six months after she prescribed the drug Ivermectin to treat patients who had contracted the coronavirus (COVID-19), insisting that “in all matters” it “acts independently, impartially and in the interest of the public”.

Ivermectin is an anti-parasitic drug most commonly used to treat livestock. It is US FDA-approved for humans when treating lice, rosacea, and specific parasitic diseases, but not for COVID-19.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says the current evidence on the use of Ivermectin to treat COVID-19 patients is inconclusive.

Dr Gilbertha St Rose, who was also fined EC$10,000 ($US 3700), said in a statement Thursday that scrutiny must be given to “possible infiltration and corruption of the Council” by powers that do not want anything to jeopardise the mass distribution of COVID -19 jabs and the impending release of two new oral anti-COVID drugs ready to be rolled out under emergency use authorisation.

“We resolve to move for the dissolution of this Medical and Dental Council for their biased approach in handling the health and well-being of St Lucians and for acting against the rights of citizenry to choose medical treatment in consultation with their physician. We deserve justice and free choice for all,” said Dr St Rose.

“I have instructed my legal counsel acting for me to file a claim against the Medical and Dental Council in respect of their decision handed down on December 2, 2021.”

But in its statement, the SLMDC said that it was established by the Health Practitioners Act to promote high standards in the practice of medicine and dentistry and that the Research Ethics Committee “has delegated authority to ensure ethical standards in the conduct of medical research.”

The SLMDC said that the Chief Medical Officer is the medical practitioner authorised by the laws of St Lucia to educate the public in the preservation of health, protect the public from fraud or deception in connection with food and medications, direct the public medical service, and manage the treatment and isolation of all suspected or confirmed cases of communicable diseases, such as COVID-19.

 “In the interest of public health and safety, the Research Ethics Committee assesses research applications for approval and monitors the conduct of any research approved by the Committee. In accordance with Laws of St Lucia, a medical practitioner in private practice is required to notify the team of medical officers of health, led by the Chief Medical Officer, if any person professionally attended by him or her is a suspected or confirmed case of a notifiable disease, such as COVID-19.”

The SLMDC said that the laws “do not authorise a medical practitioner in private practice to keep under their care and manage any suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19”.

Further, the SLMDC said that the Health Practitioners Act requires that health practitioners perform their duties competently, trustworthily and with the utmost regard for the welfare of their patients.

 In her statement on Thursday, Dr St Rose said that the Medical and Dental Council and the Chief Medical Officer had abdicated their responsibility of treating St Lucians for the COVID-19 virus.

“There is also collusion by the Ministry of Health which is presently preventing the release from customs of a shipment of Ivermectin which is not only for off label use for COVID-19 infection but also for the treatment for scabies, lice, rosacea and also parasites, as has been used and imported into St Lucia for many years now,” she further alleged.

Dr St Rose indicated that she would continue to offer her services under her other banner of a registered and licensed herbalist.