An IverCare brand package containing a syringe of ivermectin — a drug used to kill worms and other parasites — intended for use in horses only, is shown Sept. 10, in Olympia, Wash. Health experts and medical groups are pushing to stamp out the growing use of the parasite drug to treat COVID-19, warning that it can cause harmful side effects and that there’s little evidence it helps. (Associated Press)
SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah hospital recently treated a patient who ingested “large doses” of the anti-parasite drug ivermectin in an attempt to treat COVID-19, health officials announced Tuesday in a statewide warning.
“The patient suffered serious health effects,” the Utah Department of Health said.
“Ivermectin is not a COVID-19 drug; there is no data to suggest this drug has any impact on COVID-19 infection. The continued promotion of the drug has led to an increase in people buying veterinary ivermectin and being hospitalized due to side effects of ingesting the drug,” health officials said in a statement, noting that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Association of Poison Control Centers are seeing an increase in calls “related to severe side effects due to ivermectin.”
Dr. Leisha Nolen, state epidemiologist, urged doctors to “consider the harm they may cause” by providing the drug to COVID-19 patients.
“While there is no data showing it helps with COVID-19, there is very strong data showing it can do harm. I also encourage pharmacists to question any prescriptions for high-dose ivermectin that is inappropriate for their clients,” Nolen said.
According to the statement, the Utah Poison Control Center has recorded a 4.5 times higher rate of ivermectin exposures this year compared to last, and exposures related to coronavirus treatment account for 56% of those exposures.
“Fifty percent of people who called us after using ivermectin as a way to treat or prevent COVID-19 have received medical help because of the exposure,” Amberly Johnson, director of the Utah Poison Control Center, said in the statement.
Those who have taken ivermectin and are concerned about side effects should call the poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If it is an emergency, call 911.
The drug is used to treat roundworm infections in humans. A higher-dose veterinary version of ivermectin is used to treat horses and other animals for infections and “is not safe for human use,” health officials emphasized.
“The recent uptick in reports of ivermectin misuse are concerning. The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food does not endorse the misuse of ivermectin to treat COVID-19 and encourages individuals to consult with a qualified health care provider before undergoing any course of treatment,” says Dr. Dean Taylor, state veterinarian.