Many experts have been urging medical professionals to stop using ivermectin, a decades-old parasite drug, according to The Associated Press.
They are pushing hard to stamp out the use of the drug to treat COVID-19, warning that there is little evidence the drug and it may even cause harmful side effects.
As the number of new cases continues to surge, more and more Americans are using ivermectin, a cheap antiparasitic drug.
In the United States, officials have seen a surge in ivermectin prescriptions this summer, along with an increased number of overdose cases. Federal officials have given the drug to inmates at a jail in northwest Arkansas for COVID-19, despite warnings against that use.
Republican lawmakers, a few doctors, and some talk show hosts have been promoting ivermectin as a potentially effective drug for COVID-19, especially to those who are hesitant to take the vaccines. The drug has also been used in other nations, such as Brazil and India.
Now, a group of doctors and pharmacists has appealed for an “immediate end” to the use of ivermectin for the treatment of COVId-19.
The American Medical Association (AMA) and two pharmacist groups said in a statement, “We are urging physicians, pharmacists, and other prescribers — trusted healthcare professionals in their communities — to warn patients against the use of ivermectin outside of FDA-approved indications and guidance.”
Iowa-based pharmacist Randy McDonough said, “There’s just not any good evidence right now suggesting this is a good treatment for treating or preventing COVID-19.”
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved ivermectin for the treatment of infections suspected to be caused by roundworms and other tiny parasites in humans and animals.
In a public advisory, the agency warned, “Taking large doses of this drug is dangerous and can cause serious harm.” The drug can cause severe side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, delirium, and even death, according to the FDA.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have also been recommending against using ivermectin outside of carefully controlled patient studies.
NIH researchers found “insufficient evidence” against the drug for COVID-19, calling for more large-scale studies. The story first appeared in The Associated Press.
