WHO reaches ivermectin recommendation without a vote

Note that views expressed in this opinion article are the writer’s personal views and not necessarily those of TrialSite.

By Peter Yim

WHO updated “Therapeutics and COVID-19” on March 31, 2021 to include a recommendation on ivermectin. The recommendation was:

“We recommend not to use ivermectin in patients with COVID-19 except in the context of a clinical trial.”

The recommendation was made by the Guideline Development Group; 63 members consisting of “content experts, clinicians, patients, ethicists and methodologists”.

WHO explained that a vote on the recommendation was not necessary:

“While a priori voting rules informed procedures if the panel failed to reach consensus, these procedures proved unnecessary for this recommendation.”

Two questions:

Was there an “a priori” system in place for deciding when and how to abandon the “a priori” voting rules?How was consensus determined?Is it too late to take a vote?

WHO explained how they reached their “transparent and trustworthy recommendations”. They need to understand that bypassing a vote on the recommendation is the opposite of transparent and trustworthy.
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