Fact Check: Unveiling the Truth About Ivermectin's Effectiveness Against COVID-19

FalseCOVID-19
Written By Ashni Mehta

False

Many studies and clinical research trials have proven that ivermectin is falsely hailed as a miracle drug that cures COVID-19 based on faulty studies.

On December 8th, 2020, Pierre Kory, MD, a leader of the Frontline COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance (FLCCC), testified before a US Senate Committee hearing that Ivermectin was a “miracle drug” against COVID-19. Since then, there has been increased support for using Ivermectin to treat patients with COVID-19.

Ivermectin has historically been used as an animal de-wormer, later approved for human use in 1986. It is now formally used as an anti-parasitic medication for animals and humans in varying dosages.

The FDA has not authorized Ivermectin for the treatment of COVID-19. Yet, false claims drove large numbers to take Ivermectin in dangerously large doses, leading to increased calls to poison control reporting overdoses and side effects. A CDC study shows that Ivermectin dispensing has increased 24-fold, where pre-pandemic, it has been dispensed an average of 3,600 prescriptions per week, to over 39,000 prescriptions by the end of the week of January 8, 2021. An overdose of Ivermectin can result in vomiting, allergic reactions, dizziness, diarrhea, seizures, and even death. This was why suspected ivermectin poisonings have led to hospitalizations, increasing from 435 to 1,143 in 2021. 

Proponents of the drug referenced several randomized trials and cohort studies that were being conducted, even though these trials had major problems in how they were administered and interpreted. The same patient data was being used repeatedly, the selection of participants was not truly randomized, the numbers in the data weren’t accurate, calculations were flawed, and other evidence of fraud was discovered. Any other trials not flagged for fraud yield that Ivermectin has not been proven helpful in combatting COVID-19. For example, a platform trial in Brazil called TOGETHER showed no statistical significance in mortality rates between Ivermectin and placebo drugs. The FDA and CDC issued letters of warning to inform consumers that Ivermectin should not be used to self-medicate against COVID-19. 

A randomized clinical study in Malaysia, called the I-TECH study, took place between May 31st and October 25th, 2021, in 20 government hospitals and a COVID-19 quarantine center. They administered oral Ivermectin over the course of 5 days to 490 patients. The findings reveal that Ivermectin treatment during early illness did not slow the progression to severe COVID-19 and, therefore, did not support the use of Ivermectin for patients with COVID-19. 

Thus, the claim that Ivermectin is a miracle drug that cures COVID-19 is FALSE.

Got false information you want to share with us or something to fact-check?

References and Further Reading:

Ashni Mehta
Previous

Explainer: Understanding Changes as COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Ends in May 2023
Next

Explainer: Understanding the New Bivalent COVID-19 Booster for Children and Adults