Five Oregonians have been hospitalized recently due to the consumption of an antiparasitic drug, ivermectin, despite no clinical data supporting its use in the protection against COVID-19.
The Oregon Poison Center has managed 25 cases involving the use of ivermectin between Aug. 1 and Sept. 14. Two of the five Oregonians hospitalized required intensive care.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved ivermectin tablets to treat people with intestinal strongyloidiasis and onchocerciasis, two conditions caused by parasitic worms, according to the FDA website. Some topical forms of the drug are approved to treat head lice and skin conditions, like rosacea.
“Neither the FDA nor the National Institutes of Health have endorsed its use for COVID-19, and OHSU doesn’t recommend any use of ivermectin for COVID-19,” Oregon Health & Science University officials wrote in a news release. “Initial lab research indicated ivermectin might be able to treat COVID-19, but when tested in human trials, ivermectin did not decrease symptoms or cure the disease.”
Patients identified by OHSU as using ivermectin were in their 20s through 80s, with most older than 60, and were evenly split between both men and women. Some cases, according to OHSU, include individuals who obtained a prescription for either human or veterinary forms of the drug.
Robert Hendrickson, medical director of the Oregon Poison Center at OHSU and professor of emergency medicine in the OHSU School of Medicine, said that after reviewing many of the human studies done on the drug, there is no evidence that there is a decrease in symptoms or a cure for COVID-19.
“If you look at all of the data, it really suggests this doesn’t work at all,” Hendrickson said. “We’re just really wanting (to let individuals know) to not to take it if you’re thinking about it or to stop taking it if you are.”
Hendrickson said the drug is difficult to dose for patients and people could have severe reactions with other prescribed medications.
“COVID-19 is a devastating disease and can be very frightening, but the public does not need to use - nor should it use - unproven and potentially dangerous drugs to fight it,” Hendrickson said in a statement.
-- Alexandra Skores
askores@oregonian.com; 503-221-8073; @AlexandraSkores
Ad Choices