Turkey Develops COVID-19 Drug

Hind Khoudary

Science

24th June 2020

Once the drug is registered and mass-produced it is going to be exported (Getty Images)

The Claim

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that Turkey achieved success by finding a cure for the Coronavirus.

News posted on

Emerging story

Circulating news by Turkish and Arab social media accounts and news websites quote the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the 9th of June.

Erdogan claims that Turkish scientists were able to locally develop and produce Favipiravir, a drug used in COVID-19 treatment.

Sites and users also claimed that the anti-viral drug has been tested in several animal experiments and has proven effective in eliminating influenza.

Misbar’s Analysis

The claim is true. Misbar went back to the Turkish President’s original speech and found the news reported in the claim is accurate. During a June 9 press conference, Erdogan announced the success of the Turkish Scientific and Technological Research Council (TÜBİTAK) in developing a local drug called Favipiravir. Studies have proven the drug to be effective in treating patients with emerging coronavirus. Claims were circulating across the MENA region.

Moreover, Anadol Agency reported on June 12 that the Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varanak said that once the drug is registered and mass-produced it is going to be exported.

According to Minister Varnak, a group of 32 scientists from Istanbul Medipol University created the drug using only domestic ingredients.