This image shows Ivermectin drug tablets in Tehatta, West Benga, India, on May 19, 2021.
Soumyabrata Roy | NurPhoto | Getty Images
Amazon is directing users to an antiparasitic drug that falsely claims to be a treatment for Covid-19.
The drug, called ivermectin, is commonly used to treat or prevent parasites in animals. In recent weeks it has become the latest fake cure for Covid-19, prompting warnings from the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
When CNBC searched for the term “iv” on Amazon, the website’s fully automatic feature suggested a range of ivermectin products, including “ivermectin tablets,” “ivermectin paste,” and “ivermectin injectable “. Fully automatic search results are a sign that there are enough people who have searched for “ivermectin” that Amazon’s search algorithm has been automatically trained to place it at the top of the suggested results.
When CNBC searched for the term “iv” on Amazon, the website’s fully automatic feature suggested a range of ivermectin products, including “ivermectin tablets,” “ivermectin paste,” and “ivermectin injectable “.
User reviews of some of the products seemed to refer to false claims that ivermectin is a treatment for Covid-19. One review said, “Yes, I used it for that. Two doses, completely gone. It all works absolutely. The rumors are true.”
In a separate list of ivermectin, a reviewer provided dosing instructions and included a link to a website that promoted Covid misinformation, including that ivermectin is “safe and effective” for treating Covid-19.
Amazon representatives did not respond to requests for comment.
Ivermectin can be used by humans in small doses to treat parasites such as head lice, but it is most commonly used by veterinarians to deworm large animals. Although it has been known to be a “wonderful drug” for treating some parasitic diseases, it has not been shown to be effective against Covid-19 or any other virus.
Still, it has drawn a lot of attention, even in some Facebook groups and Reddit communities, NBC News reported.
According to the CDC, written prescriptions for ivermectin are multiplied by 24 times compared to before the pandemic. Typically, about 3,600 ivermectin prescriptions are written per week. “Since early July 2021, ambulatory dispensing of ivermectin has begun to increase rapidly, reaching more than 88,000 prescriptions the week ending August 13, 2021,” the CDC said.
Earlier this month, the FDA issued a warning warning Americans not to take ivermectin.
Amazon has previously faced an examination of the sale of products with misleading coronavirus claims in its marketplace. Last February, amid an increase in products with suspected coronavirus claims, the company added a warning to searches for “coronavirus,” “Covid-19,” “n95 mask,” and other terms targeting users to CDC for more information on disease prevention and treatment.
Amazon has struggled to remove books and other products that contain misinformation about the coronavirus. A recent study by researchers at the University of Washington found that more than 10% of Amazon search results show products that promote health misinformation. The researchers examined books, e-books, audiobooks, clothing, and dietary supplements.