A case of COVID-19 treatment overdose was recently recorded at Australia's Westmead Hospital. The treatment, however, was not the typical vaccine like the ones recommended by the international health organizations. The dosage used was the livestock drug known as ivermectin, which is an unapproved treatment for the coronavirus and may bring severe impacts if ingested or injected.
The individual who took the antiparasitic drug was reported to experience side effects such as vomiting and diarrhea. According to Science Alert, the said person got the idea to take ivermectin as treatment and purchased it along with other COVID-19 'cures' from their online sources.
Dangers of Ivermectin and Why People Use It
The case is an example of the growing population considering the animal drug ivermectin to solve COVID-19. The impulsive decisions of the hecklers and conspiracists are one of the concerns of health authorities around the globe.
The government of Australia even released a detailed statement regarding the use of ivermectin to equip the country's citizens with sufficient knowledge. The said health department's report also enumerated the impending risks of taking the drug supposed to be used for animal treatment. The dangers of ivermectin specified scales from mild side effects to severe cases, including seizures and even coma.
Ivermectin was previously theorized to have an efficacy that matches the coronavirus, but the initial tests lack information.
The observations of the drug that took place in the controlled environment under controlled circumstances have not gone through a single peer-review and were not completely tested in human subjects.
With that said, there is no strong evidence that could support the use of ivermectin for now as a treatment or protection from COVID-19.
Along with the Australian COVID-19 task force, larger health organizations such as the United State's Food and Drug Administration and the World Health Organization released their insights regarding the use of ivermectin for COVID-19.
Future of Antiparasitic Wonder Drug Against COVID-19
The ivermectin demand has caused the supply depletion of some countries due to the people's hope in the veterinary drug. Ivermectin had been previously approved for human use against parasitic diseases and is a well-known effective drug for animals under parasite treatment. Although ivermectin works as a 'wonder drug,' it is not formulated and meant to treat or cure COVID-19.
Purchasing ivermectin's dosage for human use, also known as phase 4, is only possible in Australia with approval from a medical expert. The strict measure on having a prescription over ivermectin serves as a protection.
Apparently, this is because, like any other drug with strong content and efficacy, ivermectin could bring a lot of damage to an individual's health. Similar to other drugs specialized for a specific treatment, ivermectin can bring dangerous side effects if the dosage taken is not recommended.
Ivermectin's potential is being observed, but there should be no haste as to whether the results may be beneficial or not. The drug was approved but for clinical trials only. These examinations will prove what capability ivermectin really has.
In the meantime, there are still available vaccines and booster shots ready to intensify our immunity against the pandemic.
Check out more news and information on COVID-19 in Science Times.
