Ivermectin, an antiparasitic treatment that has long been used for both humans and animals, has recently usurped hydroxychloroquine as a “do your own research” as a panacea for covid-19. It is widely discussed in Facebook groups, sold by shady websites, and even mentioned by Fox News hosts. Several groups of people are now convinced that ivermectin treats and prevents covid-19. In fact, although the drug has valuable uses, evidence of the potential of ivermectin as an antiviral or preventive treatment is still being collected and is currently highly unstable. Public health experts must now warn people not to buy ivermectin for animals and to use it as an off-label prophylactic, as it can cause a dangerous overdose that lands people in the hospital. .
So what exactly is ivermectin? And is there really any hope that it could prove to be a valuable tool against covid-19?
What is Ivermectin used for?
Although ivermectin has had a rough reputation lately, often referred to as deworming as a horse dewormer, it is selling short. For decades, it has been an invaluable drug for both animals and humans, and is considered one of the most important. essential medicines we have for the World Health Organization. He discoverers of his pharmaceutical class even won the Nobel Prize in 2015. Ivermectin is so beloved not only because it can treat reliably a wide range of parasitic infestations, but because it has become a cheap generic that can be easily provided to the poorest areas of the world. It can be administered as a pill, topical gel or in a liquid bath, as some farmers do with theirs sheep. Ivermectin has what scientists call a “broad spectrum of activity,” meaning that it can target many parasites effectively.
Could Ivermectin Treat or Prevent Covid-19?
OOver the years, scientists wondered if the drug versatility could to apply to other types of infection, including those caused by viruses. Therefore, it did not take long for the covid-19 pandemic before some researchers began re-examining ivermectin. And it certainly was early research showing it it was very powerful at killing the virus in a lab, which of course is different from being able to help people infected with the germ.
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The problem began when these first results were perceived as concrete evidence that ivermectin would be an effective treatment for covid-19 by some scientists and many self-proclaimed pandemic experts. Even at that time, many researchers warned against overexpression of these results, as ivermectin is not easily absorbed by the human body. Normally, this has never been a problem, because a high dose is not really needed to work when used as an antiparasitic. But some scientists have translated the dose used in the lab to kill the coronavirus into the real world he argued, would probably require a much higher dose than could ever be safely used in people. Even if it is safe otherwise, too high a dose of ivermectin can harm and cause people neurological problems, among other things, or interact poorly with other drugs.
However, given the lack of effective treatments at the time, it was worth trying ivermectin. Unfortunately, most studies in the last year that claim to demonstrate a benefit of the drug in the treatment or prevention of covid-19 appear to be very low quality, while some have relied on fraudulent or otherwise, suspect data and subsequently withdrawn. And when you look at the bigger essays or he global tests, find little or no effect on ivermectin.
Despite these events, the drug has become very popular among certain groups, particularly in social media. These groups, often right-leaning and pandemic scavengers, will argue that the truth about ivermectin has been suppressed and is now being kept out of the public at the urging of Big Pharma. These same claims were made about antimalarial hydroxychloroquine when it was advertised as a potential covid-19 cure. (Hydroxychloroquine was studied in covid-19 patients worldwide as a potential therapy, but results they were sadly disappointing.)
The pharmaceutical industry does serious problems, and has not defugit of taking advantage of the pandemic at times. However, the most widely used life-saving drug throughout this pandemic has been one cheap steroids called dexamethasone. Meanwhile, many of the leading proponents of ivermectin have been accused to take advantage of the gullible and desperate pushing who buy ivermectin and other supposed preventative treatments through their own businesses. When ivermectin is not available through unscrupulous grievances, these groups online will tell people to buy it at pet supply stores and to self-manage it. And at least in Mississippi, this bad advice has sparked a flurry of poison control calls people who followed her and took the drug.
It is Ivermectin Safe?
TCenters for Disease Control and Prevention recently subjectd a warning to people not to use ivermectin without a prescription, citing two serious cases in which people ended up in hospital with hallucinations and confusion. Last week, the Food and Drug Administration did the same in a memorable one tweet reminding us that, “You are not a horse. You are not a cow. Seriously, everyone. Stop it. “
It should be emphasized that these warnings are not occurring because ivermectin is an unsafe drug when taken as intended. Even in covid-19 clinical trials where people were given a higher-than-usual dose under medical supervision, there did not appear to be a significant added risk of health problems. But people can overdose on ivermectin and develop symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, while very high doses can cause neurological complications such as hallucinations, seizures, and death. There is also the downside of taking an unnecessary medication that has its side effects, as do all medications. I some users of ivermectin may be overconfidence and stopping worrying about the risk of catching or spreading the coronavirus, a risk that could actually be substantially avoided by getting vaccinated.
It is not impossible that ivermectin can have a second life as a covid-19 drug, even now. In June, Oxford University in the United Kingdom announced would add the drug to its ongoing PRINCIPAL trial, advertised as the world’s largest clinical trial on possible covid-19 treatments for people who do not need hospitalization. The hope is that ivermectin can help prevent people’s first symptoms from getting worse and / or help them get rid of the infection sooner.
But given the evidence so far, it doesn’t seem likely that the drug will provide anything more than a modest benefit, if so. Ivermectin is more than just an animal dewormer, but it is definitely not a miracle cure for covid-19 or a barrier to becoming infected.