Vaccination station in Beer Sheva, Israel. Photo: Olga Mukashev/Shutterstock
Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro announced this week that an emergency approval request for an Israeli-made nasal spray will be submitted to the country’s health regulators. Early tests suggest the spray may be effective in treating Covid-19.
The product, known as EXO-CD 24, was originally developed to treat ovarian cancer. Its alleged ability to treat respiratory symptoms linked to Covid-19 stems from early-stage testing at the Ichilov Medical Center in Tel Aviv. Thirty study volunteers with moderate to severe cases of Covid-19 were administered the spray, and Ichilov researchers say that 29 of them were released from the hospital within five days.
While the findings have not been published or peer-reviewed, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called EXO-CD 24 a “miracle” treatment against Covid-19.
Mr. Bolsonaro intends to send a Brazilian delegation to Israel to negotiate importing the spray. The government has also shown an interest in taking part in further stages of clinical trials on EXO-CD 24.
The Brazilian president has a track record for championing unproven Covid-19 treatments. He put his weight behind antimalarial drugs chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine — using the same words as his Israeli counterpart by calling them “miracle” treatments.
Support this coverage →The specialization trend among corporate board members It is not only a matter of perception:…
Panama will hold its presidential elections on Sunday, months after huge protests saw thousands descend…
The city of Rio de Janeiro estimates that a Madonna concert this Saturday on Copacabana…
Latin America’s trend of banning opposition candidates from elections has caught on in an ever-growing…
The São Paulo City Council on Thursday approved legislation authorizing Brazil’s largest city to sign…
The preliminary report on AI regulations presented to Brazil’s Senate last week provides a middle-of-the-road…