Perceived therapeutic benefits and adverse effects of COVIDEX® among covid-19 patients in Uganda: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

During the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Uganda, health system constraints led many patients to seek alternative and supportive therapies, including herbal medicines. COVIDEX®, a locally developed herbal product, was widely used following emergency authorization despite the absence of formal clinical trial data. This study assessed self-reported outcomes and adverse effects associated with COVIDEX® use among patients with COVID-19 in Uganda. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted between 3 and 17 July 2021 using a public reporting tool developed and posted online by the Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda. Respondents included patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers who provided information on COVIDEX® use, disease severity, concurrent treatments, perceived time to improvement, outcomes, and adverse events. Data collected by the Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda and provided in-kind to the research team were analyzed descriptively using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. A total of 222 complete responses were analyzed. Most reports concerned male patients (54.9%), with a mean age of 24.2 ± 13.3 years. Among the reported cases, 82.9% had laboratory-confirmed COVID-19. Disease severity was reported as moderate in 50.5% of cases, mild in 28.8%, severe in 18.5%, and critical in 2.3%. The mean reported time to perceived improvement following COVIDEX® administration was 39.9 ± 12.4 years. Overall, 96.3% of patients were reported to have improved, including 73.6% who reportedly achieved full recovery, while three deaths (1.4%) were reported. Adverse events were reported by 34.2% of respondents and were generally mild and self-limiting. Survey respondents reported rapid perceived improvement and a low frequency of predominantly mild adverse effects following COVIDEX® use. Given the observational and self-reported nature of these findings, controlled clinical studies are required to establish the safety and efficacy of COVIDEX®.