As more studies continue to take place into COVID-19 treatments, researchers have concluded that Ivermectin is not an effective remedy for the virus.
The antiparasitic drug was tested when almost 500 high-risk people aged 50 and older were enrolled in the study. Half of them were given high doses of oral Ivermectin for five days, while the other half received standard treatment for their symptoms. Researchers said there was no difference in outcomes between the groups. Ivermectin even showed some signs of troubling side effects, as more patients who received the drug had heart attacks, anemia, and diarrhea that led to shock. In addition, they also needed additional oxygen.
“The higher incidence of side effects with ivermectin in our study raises concerns about the widespread use of this drug outside clinical trial setting,” lead researcher Dr. Steven Lim, who was involved in the study, told CNN.
The trial was conducted at 20 public hospitals and a COVID-19 quarantine center in Malaysia between May 31st and October 25th, 2021.
While the study did confirm that people shouldn’t be using the medication to treat COVID-19, it has proved what the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has suspected all along. They have continuously warned the public against using Ivermectin. The drug is approved by the FDA to treat people with parasitic worms. However, an alternative version of the drug exists to prevent internal and external parasites in animals.
