Ivermectin

Ivermectin is a medication used to treat parasite infestations. They can treat head lice, scabies, river blindness (onchocerciasis), strongyloidiasis, trichuriasis, ascariasis, and lymphatic filariasis.[1][2]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, misinformation has been widely spread saying that ivermectin is beneficial for treating and preventing COVID-19.[3][4] Though this cannot be proven to be true[5][6] or false. General confusion, the "infodemic" and the lack of effective treatment seemingly attributed to individuals to repurpose various medications - including ivermectin - on the market without approved indications for COVID-19 as potentially effective treatments and purchase them from unapproved websites.[7]

References

  1. ↑ Sneader W (2005). Drug Discovery a History. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons. p. 333. ISBN 978-0-470-01552-0.
  2. ↑ U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (August 23, 2019). "Ascariasis – Resources for Health Professionals". U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  3. ↑ Evershed N, McGowan M, Ball A. "Anatomy of a conspiracy theory: how misinformation travels on Facebook". The Guardian. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
  4. ↑ "Fact-checking claim about the use of ivermectin to treat COVID-19". PolitiFact. Washington, DC. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
  5. ↑ "EMA advises against use of ivermectin for the prevention or treatment of COVID-19 outside randomised clinical trials". European Medicines Agency. March 22, 2021.
  6. ↑ Garegnani LI, Madrid E, Meza N (April 22, 2021). "Misleading clinical evidence and systematic reviews on ivermectin for COVID-19". BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine. 27 (3): 156–158. doi:10.1136/bmjebm-2021-111678. ISSN 2515-446X. PMID 33888547.
  7. ↑ Fittler, András; Adeniye, Latifat; Katz, Zoltán; Bella, Richárd (January 2021). "Effect of Infodemic Regarding the Illegal Sale of Medications on the Internet: Evaluation of Demand and Online Availability of Ivermectin during the COVID-19 Pandemic". International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 18 (14): 7475. doi:10.3390/ijerph18147475. PMC 8304957. PMID 34299920.