Ivermectin Should Not Be Used To Treat COVID-19: WA DOH

OLYMPIA, WA — Ivermectin is the latest fad among vaccine skeptics, many of whom have been touting the drug as an effective cure or preventative treatment against COVID-19.

However, taking ivermectin is not a good idea, and not just because the drug doesn't work against the coronavirus, the DOH says. In a public release Thursday, the Washington State Department of Health shared concerns that some residents may be tempted to use ivermectin — which is normally used to treat parasitic worms in humans and animals — as an alternative to vaccination.

"Despite the dangers, nationwide the CDC has seen a sharp increase in both providers prescribing and patients requesting ivermectin for COVID-19," the agency said. "According to the CDC, during the second week of August more than 88,000 prescriptions were reported nationwide, which is 24-times higher than the number of prescriptions written before the pandemic and more than double the previous peak of prescriptions written in early January 2021."

Unfortunately, taking ivermectin can cause a number of potentially dangerous side effects, which can be extremely severe if patients accidentally take concentrated doses of ivermectin intended for animals: The FDA has logged multiple reports of people being hospitalized after using doses meant for horses or other large animas, and last month poison control centers across the U.S. saw the number of ivermectin-related calls increase five times the normal rate.

Side effects from improperly using ivermectin or taking doses not meant for humans include:

• Skin rashes.
• Nausea.
• Vomiting.
• Diarrhea.
• Stomach pain.
• Swelling in the face or limbs.
• Dizziness.
• Seizures.
• Confusion.
• Low blood pressure.
• Hepatitis or liver injury.

The DOH stresses that taking ivermectin isn't worth risking those side effects — and again, still will not prevent COVID-19 infections. Right now, the only FDA approved preventative treatment against the coronavirus is the COVID-19 vaccine. The Pfizer vaccine received the FDA's full approval just this week after six months of study, but the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines also underwent rigorous study before they received the FDA's emergency authorization.

State health leaders say they understand there may people who are hesitant to try a new vaccine, but ask that residents on the fence about vaccination ask their doctor if taking their shots is right for them.

The FDA has also launched a task force aiming to crack down on fraudulent COVID-19 products that claim to prevent, treat or cure COVID, hoping to clear up any remaining ivermectin confusion.