What is Ivermectin and is it meant for humans?
IVERMECTIN has been a topic of discussion in terms of using it to “treat” coronavirus diagnoses.
Despite its popularity, the Food and Drug Administration has not approved the drug - which is primarily used for horses - as a form of treatment for .
What is Ivermectin and is it meant for humans?
Ivermectin is a medication used to treat certain parasitic roundworm infections.
The medication belongs to a class of drugs known as anthelmintics and its main function is to paralyze and kill parasites.
in highly concentrated doses depending on their size.
Those high doses can be highly toxic to humans and they are not evaluated to help treat people, .
Dr. Gerald Parker, associate dean in the , says that it is dangerous to take Ivermectin products designed for animals as a treatment for coronavirus and that it should only be used by a person if prescribed by their doctor.
“Ivermectin is approved for use in people, but only in the case of very specific parasitic diseases,” he said.
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“The products meant for animals have different ingredients and have a larger concentration of the active ingredient that could be dangerous to a human.”
When can people take Ivermectin?
Ivermectin tablets are approved by the FDA to treat people with intestinal strongyloidiasis and onchocerciasis, two conditions caused by parasitic worms.
Similarly, some topical forms of ivermectin are and for skin conditions such as rosacea.
The ivermectin to treat animals is nowhere near the same as the tablets for humans.
The FDA does not encourage people to take ivermectin prescribed to animals.
Is Ivermectin fatal for humans?
The FDA warns that humans that ingest ivermectin can overdose and potentially die.
Aside from death, the medication can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, hypotension (low blood pressure), allergic reactions (itching and hives), dizziness, ataxia (problems with balance), seizures, and a coma.
Dr Vivek Murthy addressed people’s use of Ivermectin on CNN, saying: “The best protection we have against Covid-19 is the vaccine.
"If you get Covid-19, we actually do have treatments that work. Ivermectin is not one of them."