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 Ivermectin not recommended for COVID-19, NO CLEAR BENEFIT

Ivermectin is good at killing intestinal parasites, like hookworms and river blindness, but it is still not clear it can treat COVID-19 despite the internet buzz. Some of the most popular studies people use to tout ivermectin benefits are deeply flawed or have been withdrawn. Better randomized trials are underway and should help to provide the answers. 

One of the early signs that ivermectin could be useful against COVID-19 came from a study of monkey kidney cells at Monash University in Australia. But the dosage given was far higher than anything that could be safely given to humans. Then 2 studies from Egypt came out in the fall of 2020 that were not correctly randomized and have been since withdrawn. Another study in Argentina healthcare workers contained information that had been fabricated. In February 2021, a commonly referenced study from India showed ivermectin reduced the odds of developing coronavirus by 73%, but the study was observational and did not control for important risk factors making it difficult to know the true impact of the drug on patient outcomes. Large, well-designed randomized controlled trials (RCTs), the gold standard for all drug research, are needed to know the true role of ivermectin. None so far have been completed that stand up to scrutiny. 

There are a few large, well-controlled RCTs of ivermectin going on now, which aim to better answer whether ivermectin might help with COVID-19. Early indications don’t look promising. So far in the Brazilian Together Trial, ivermectin didn’t perform better than placebo. Similar results were found in a RCT from Colombia published in Journal of the American Medical Association. Additional definitive answers may come soon from Oxford’s Principle RCT trial, the world’s largest study of at-home treatment for COVID-19.

Ivermectin has significant potential side effects including nausea, vomiting, dizziness, seizures, and coma especially if taken in high dose likely to be found in animal formulations of the drug. Recently there have been 2 patients admitted to Kootenai Health with liver failure induced by ivermectin. The FDA has not authorized or approved ivermectin for prevention or treatment of COVID-19. In fact the FDA has warned that using ivermectin to treat COVID-19 can be dangerous and even lethal. 

The physicians at Family Health Center do not prescribe or recommend ivermectin to prevent or treat COVID-19 infection. Using ivermectin with the belief that it can effectively treat COVID only delays the use of medications that have shown benefit in controlled studies and are considered current standard of  care. If you are experiencing a new fever, cough, or shortness of breath please contact us so that we can help you get the best care possible to keep you out of the hospital and recovering as quickly as possible.