News Roundup | Ivermectin, Colombian Study, and the FDA: Cautions Against Use For Covid-19

With mass media synchronization, that is recent ivermectin-based articles from both the New York Times and CNN covering negative news, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Gold Standard global food and drug regulatory body, has issued a cautionary statement targeting ivermectin.

The crux of the agency’s concern includes 1) Ivermectin is an off label treatment; 2) taking large doses of the drug can be harmful; 3) ivermectin should be used for “legitimate” source (e.g. anti-parasitic indication); and 4) animal medications should never be taken by humans. The basis for the agency’s warnings are “multiple reports” of individuals that have received either medical support for taking the drug or hospitalization after self-medication with the type needed for animals. No such data backing those reports is included, however—no warning letters, no examples from county or state health agencies or for that matter tangible reports from hospitals.