PLUS: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC – Examining the science behind ivermectin claims
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs said Ivermectin, a drug that some tout as a cure for COVID-19, has developed a “weird cult following,” despite the fact that the science shows it doesn’t work.
Dobbs spoke Friday during the weekly question and answer session hosted by the Mississippi State Medical Association.
He was asked about Ivermectin in the light of Joe Rogan’s announcement that he had used the drug after being diagnosed with COVID-19.
Rogan told his followers on Wednesday that he had contracted the virus, according to NBC news.
The famous podcaster said he had been prescribed Ivermectin and received monoclonal antibodies as part of his treatment regimen.
“Ivermectin has gained a ‘weird cult following,’ even though data shows the drug is not effective in treating coronavirus.”
Mark Horne, MSMA’s immediate past president, said:
“This week he came down with COVID, so he talked about what he did, and he said, ‘I took a lot of vitamins. I took some infusions and I took monoclonal antibodies…’ and he took Ivermectin.
“Of all the things he took… He took zinc, he took vitamins… Where is the best data for what helped him get better faster?”
Horne said Rogan reported that after by the third day of treatment, he felt back to normal.
Dobbs, who doesn’t know Rogan, was pleased he was treated with monoclonals.
He said Rogan has likely recovered as a result of the monoclonals and because he took the virus seriously. Dobbs said:
“One of the things I think is very important about this story is he was scared of COVID,” “Apparently, he had not been vaccinated, by all accounts… And that’s wise, to be scared of COVID … ” READ MORE.
Ivermectin as a COVID-19 cure: what the science says
BY PRIYANKA RUNWAL, SEPTEMBER 2, 2021
Studies are inconclusive and misinformation is rampant. But many Americans now see a deworming medicine as a go-to drug to prevent and fight the Delta variant.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC – Over the last month, Frank Wallmeyer and several other farm supply store owners in some parts of the United States noticed an antiparasitic medication called ivermectin flying off the shelves.
At his own store in Jacksonville, Florida, ivermectin sales have nearly tripled, and the phone rings at least a dozen times each day with inquiries about the drug, Wallmeyer says.
But many of those inquiring weren’t looking to get rid of worms in cattle and horse intestines. Rather, they wanted to use the drug for themselves or their loved ones to prevent and treat COVID-19.
Touted as a miracle COVID-19 cure by some doctors and campaigners, despite lacking scientific support, ivermectin seems to be in high demand among unvaccinated Americans.
“As the fast-spreading Delta variant ravages the country, the search for alternative medication has led vaccine skeptics to ivermectin.”
Although the Food and Drug Administration has approved ivermectin to treat certain parasites in humans and animals, its use against COVID-19 isn’t authorized.
Poison control centers in several states including Florida, Mississippi, and Texas reported a recent surge in calls and cases associated with ivermectin misuse and overdose.
Also, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that in the week ending August 13, 2021, more than 88,000 prescriptions were written for ivermectin, representing a 24-fold increase from the pre-pandemic baseline of 3,600 prescriptions per week. That meant some physicians were prescribing the drug for COVID-19, despite the FDA’s stand.
“It vastly complicates the management of [COVID-19] patients because there are so many and there is so much misinformation,” says John Sinnott, an epidemiologist at University of South Florida’s Morsani College of Medicine who is also affiliated with Tampa General Hospital.
Also, the drug preparations and doses vary for animals and humans, and the FDA warned people of potential harm from consuming the concentrated animal version, which contains inactive ingredients not tested for use in humans.
But even human-grade ivermectin, considered generally safe for approved purposes—worms, head lice, and skin conditions such as rosacea—can cause side effects including headaches, nausea, diarrhea, skin rashes, and spikes in blood pressure.
And seizures can result from high doses, leading to hospitalization … READ MORE.
