Good for parasites, unproven for COVID
People using the drug, despite warnings
The anti-parasitical drug, ivermectin, is in the news again.
This time a Butler County judge in Ohio ruled that West Chester Hospital is not compelled to treat a COVID-19 patient with ivermectin, according to a Cincinnati Enquirer report.
As the courts weighed this recent decision, more people have bought and used the commonly used animal anti-parasite drug to treat cases of COVID-19 and taken it as a preventative.
While ivermectin is used to treat parasites, head lice and skin conditions like rosacea in humans, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cautions against its use for viruses as prescriptions for the drug have increased since the start of the pandemic.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported an average of 88,000 new weekly prescriptions of ivermectin at retail pharmacies from pre-pandemic levels that averaged 3,600 weekly prescriptions — a 24fold increase.
This spike in prescriptions has led to a three-fold increase in the number of poison control center calls for ivermectin use in humans since the start of January, according to the report.
Because the FDA and CDC have not approved the drug for COVID-19 and have not received an emergency use authorization, the FDA, doctors and veterinarians recommend not using it to treat or prevent COVID-19 infections.
Is ivermectin effective against viruses like COVID-19?
Fred Gingrich, a cattle veterinarian and Executive Director of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners in Ashland, commonly uses the anti-parasitic drug on cattle he treats.
"It's primarily used to treat parasites in cattle, sheep, swine and horses," Gingrich said. "There are other formulations that are approved like for heartworm preventatives in dogs and things like that."
Because he doesn't treat humans, Gingrich cannot give medical advice, but he said there is no evidence that ivermectin can treat viruses like COVID-19
in cattle.
There have been studies conducted to determine its use in a laboratory setting, but he said these studies need to be replicated to determine the drug's effectiveness.
He also cautioned against taking these studies at face value because they were conducted in labs in controlled situations.
"There's no evidence that I'm aware of that it has any usefulness for viral infections in cattle," he said. "It's pretty much used as a dewormer."
The FDA is conducting ongoing clinical trials to determine whether ivermectin is effective against COVID-19 in humans, but so far, the results show that the drug is ineffective against the virus.
What makes ivermectin dangerous?
Ivermectin is not a dangerous drug when taken as prescribed and received from a trusted pharmacy.
It only becomes dangerous when too much is taken at one time or a period of time that is contrary to the dosing instructions given by a physician, according to the CDC. It is also dangerous to take medicine intended for animal use.
"The problem is that because ivermectin is an over-the-counter product and the cattle formulation is an overthe-counter product, there are people that are going to, TSC and farm stores, and purchasing ivermectin and taking it themselves," Gingrich said.
The product was manufactured for animals that weigh 700 or more pounds, he said, so the concentration differs compared to the human variation.
If taken, it could and has made individuals sick while others have been hospitalized, according to the FDA.
When the human version is taken more times than prescribed, illness and hospitalization could also occur.
The FDA screens human medicine for potentially toxic inactive ingredients at a higher rate than animal medicine, which means medicine intended for animals includes a greater quantity of such ingredients.
"In some cases, we don't know how those inactive ingredients will affect how ivermectin is absorbed in the human body," the FDA'S website reads.
What are the signs of ivermectin overdose?
According to the CDC, clinical signs of overdose from the use of ivermectin include gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Overdose from the drug is associated with hypotension and neurologic effects such as decreased consciousness, confusion, hallucinations, seizures, coma and death.
Anyone who takes ivermectin should consult their physician before doing so as it can have unknown side effects when mixed with other drugs that treat depression like benzodiazepines and barbiturates, according to the CDC.
U.S. poison control centers reported two examples of adverse effects resulting from ivermectin.
In one example, an adult drank an injection intended for cattle use in an attempt to prevent COVID-19.
Upon hospitalization, the patient showed signs of confusion, drowsiness, visual hallucinations, tachypnea and tremors. While they recovered, the patient was discharged after nine days.
Another adult patient took ivermectin tablets purchased from an unknown online provider.
According to the poison control center, the patient took five tablets a day for five days to treat COVID-19. When hospitalized, they were disoriented and had difficulty answering questions and following commands.
Symptoms improved once the tablets were discontinued per hospital recommendations.
Reach Bryce by email at bbuyakie@gannett.com