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The Fabunan Antiviral Injection (FAI) is a patented medicine administered to patients by US-based Filipino doctors Ruben and Willie Fabunan, who assured that it can treat dengue fever, chikungunya, dog bite, snakebite, and HIV/AIDS.[1]
| Alternative medicine | |
|---|---|
| Modality | Injection |
| Claims | Treatment against dengue, chikungunya, dog bite, snakebite, HIV/AIDS, and COVID-19 |
| Original proponents | Ruben and Willie Fabunan |
Formulation
editFabunan contains procaine hydrochloride, a water-soluble ester anesthetic, and dexamethasone sodium phosphate, a corticosteroid with well-known anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant properties.[2] The solution is intended to be administered as an intramuscular injection.
Validity of claims
editThe patent application cites six case studies for conditions such as dengue, dengue hemorrhagic fever and AIDS, which were all conducted at the Fabunan Medical Clinic in Burgos. To date, no registered clinical trials of the Fabunan Antiviral Injection have been performed to validate the Fabunans' claims.
COVID-19 claims
editRecent claims promoted on social media that it can cure COVID-19 are not supported by the Philippine government, which has issued a cease and desist order to Fabunan Medical Clinic in Zambales, prompting the clinic to stop its operations on April 2.[3][4] On April 15, 2020, the fact-checking website Rappler warned against false claims on YouTube and Facebook that the so-called treatment had been approved, and pointed out that on April 8, 2020, the FDA warned the public against the use of drugs or vaccines that are not yet certified to treat COVID-19, particularly the Fabunan Antiviral Injection.[5] Similarly, claims popularly spread in YouTube videos in June 2020 that Fabunan has been approved in Indonesia have been demonstrated to be false.[6]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Roxas, Patrick (March 30, 2020). "Zambales docs concoct anti-viral medicine". The Manila Times. Archived from the original on April 1, 2020. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
- ^ US 6172053, Fabunan, Ruben G., "Injection viral treatment", published 2001-01-09
- ^ Gita-Carlos, Ruth Abbey (May 30, 2020). "Fabunan drug not yet approved as COVID-19 cure: Palace". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
- ^ Maru, Davinci. "Fabunan antiviral drug not yet approved, prohibited by FDA, Palace reiterates". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
- ^ "FALSE: PH-developed COVID-19 cure already approved". Rappler. April 15, 2020. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
- ^ "VERA FILES FACT CHECK: Videos on 'approval' of Fabunan Antiviral drug in PH, Indonesia ERRONEOUS". VERA Files. July 31, 2020. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
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