CDC Issues Memo Warning Doctors Not to Use Ivermectin to Treat Covid-19

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sent out a health advisory yesterday warning doctors and the public about the increase in prescription for the anti-parasetic drug Ivermectin. Ivermectin is commonly used to treat parasites such as worms and lice in humans and is also used by vets to de-worm large animals. According to the CDC, normally about 3,600 prescriptions are written for the drug in a week but throughout the pandemic that number began to rise and by January 8th, had increased to 39,000 prescriptions per week. Good Rx a company that tracks drug prices has also seen an increase in prescriptions filled for the drug and so far the company’s data for August has shown 20 times the average level of fills in 2019.

Last Saturday the FDA issued a tweet warning people against using Ivermectin to treat the Coronavirus as calls to poison control centers about the drug increased compared to the number of calls about it before the pandemic. In the memo sent yesterday, the CDC reminded doctors that Ivermectin is not authorized or approved for use in Covid-19 patients though doctors previously investigated the possibility and clinical trials ‘yielded insufficient evidence’ with more testing needed. Overdoses of the drug can cause stomach problems, nerve damage, seizure, disorientation, coma and death.