Ivermectin was touted as a miracle drug against severe COVID-19 despite warnings from health authorities. This drug is used to treat head lice, scabies, and prevent some external and internal parasites in humans and animals.
Experts have criticized the experiments of the medication that did not show enough evidence to support previous claims of its benefits. Now, new research from Malaysian scientists concluded that Ivermectin is ineffective at preventing hospitalized patients from severe illness.
A health worker shows a box containing a bottle of Ivermectin, a medicine authorized by the National Institute for Food and Drug Surveillance (INVIMA) to treat patients with mild, asymptomatic or suspicious COVID-19, as part of a study of the Center for Paediatric Infectious Diseases Studies, in Cali, Colombia, on July 21, 2020.
Ivermectin Failed to Prevent Severe COVID-19 Illness
In the study, titled "Efficacy of Ivermectin Treatment on Disease Progression Among Adults With Mild to Moderate COVID-19 and Comorbidities" published in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers enrolled 490 patients aged 50 and up with mild to moderate symptoms from 20 hospitals and a COVID-19 center in which everyone received standard care and half of them received Ivermectin.
Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital medics analyzed the data from the randomized clinical trial of Ivermectin and found that severe illness developed in 21.6% of those given Ivermectin and 17.3% of those who only received standard care, Reuters reported. The study defined severe illness as when one requires oxygen to help with breathing.
The findings showed no significant difference between the two groups who received and did not receive Ivermectin based on ICU admissions, need for mechanical ventilation, and mortality rate.
On the other hand, the research has an "open-label" trial design. That means doctors and patients knew which groups were given the drug that could have introduced bias and overestimated the effect of the drug.
Things to Know About Ivermectin
According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), they did not authorize or approve Ivermectin for preventing or treating COVID-19 in humans or animals. However, this drug is approved for treating parasitic infections in humans, head lice, and skin conditions like rosacea.
There are also other forms of animal ivermectin approved to prevent heartworm disease and treat internal and external parasites. It is specifically prescribed only to animals and should not be taken as medicine for humans as it is different from products formulated for people. Taking animal ivermectin to prevent or treat COVID-19 in humans is strictly prohibited due to serious side effects.
The FDA said that taking large doses of Ivermectin is dangerous for the health. Ivermectin should only be taken when prescribed by a healthcare professional and bought through a legitimate source.
COVID-19 Treatment Options
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reminds the public that treatments for COVID-19 should only be prescribed by a healthcare provider as there have been cases of severe side effects and death after taking products unauthorized to treat COVID-19.
The FDA can issue emergency use authorizations (EUAs) to allow healthcare providers to use products that are not yet approved or are only approved for specific uses to treat COVID-19 patients in the US if legal requirements are met. Also, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) develops and regularly updates its Treatment Guidelines for healthcare providers and patients that may consider using products with EUA.
Outside the hospital, healthcare providers usually recommend taking medications that reduce fever, drinking plenty of water or staying hydrated, and getting a lot of rest to help the body fight the virus.
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