TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) delivered its official response regarding the plethora of herbal medicine claiming to be able to cure Covid-19. BPOM's deputy of traditional medicine, health supplements, and cosmetic supervisor Mayagustina Andarini asserted that there are strict tests before anyone can claim to have discovered medicine for the virus.

"There are rules to follow, no one can just suddenly claim things," said Maya in a press conference on Monday, August 10, 2020.

Moreover, Maya also expressed her concerns over claims on the recovery rate that usually accompanies these herbal medicines. Maya underlined that there has to be an ethical clearance and certain clinical health protocols when a medicine involves human testing.

In the past week, the Indonesian public was surprised by the emergence of Hadi Pranoto, who claims to have discovered a herbal concoction capable of curing Covid-19. Hadi rise in popularity after his interview with singer and YouTuber Anji went viral.

Maya explained that the agency has a full-spectrum control that must be applied on traditional medicines and other health supplements, starting from pre-market control where medicines must pass strict certifications and commercial permits for post-market control.

In a previous report, the BPOM had explicitly denied that it has passed a permit for the "Covid-19 antibody" that Hadi Pranoto claims.

FAJAR PEBRIANTO