LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – Nevada Poison Control has seen a surge in calls for people saying they were discovered on ivermectin as doctors and the federal government warn that its use will be banned in dealing with COVID-19.
Ivermectin is an anti-parasite medicine used to treat and prevent animals. COVID-19 is a virus, not a parasite.
“COVID-19. We have lived with what sometimes seems like an eternity,” read an article on the FDA website. “Given the number of deaths that have occurred from the disease, it may not come as a surprise some consumers are looking for unconventional treatments that are not approved or approved by the Food and Drug Administration. “
The company has seen a series of hospitalizations of people who have tried self-medication with dosages for massive animals.
“For one thing, veterinary drugs are often highly concentrated because they are used on large animals such as horses and cows, which can weigh a lot more than we do – a ton or more,” the article says. “Such high doses can be highly toxic to humans.”
Other than not being approved for treatment, there is no evidence that ivermectin treats COVID-19.
“That’s just the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard,” said horse owner Leonard Sanchez from Las Vegas. “It even says, ‘If you are swallowed, you have to see a doctor.’ It’s the same with bleach. Why should you swallow bleach? “
From bleach to ivermectin, some people buy the drug, which is intended for massive animals like horses.
Sanchez’s horse Melanie, who the I-Team met on Friday, weighs 1,061 kilos, as her vet AJ Manship mentioned.
Ivermectin: deworming tablets for horses that are harmful to humans and have never allowed COVID-19 treatment
“I don’t know if I was surprised,” said Manship, who works at the Desert Pines Equine Medical & Surgical Center. “Disappointed, I think – and above all I wasn’t worried.”
Ivermectin for horses is available in tablet or paste form. Manship mentioned regular dosing for a horse won’t even be the total injection. Some people consume the animal remedy without being aware of the amount they are ingesting.
Some types of ivermectin are approved for treating parasites in humans, the FDA reported, but the types available online are not approved for use in animals. A doctor would prescribe the drug for a parasite or infection in a human – and the drug would not be of the type given to horses, warns the FDA.
“It is important to note that these products are different from those for humans and are safe when used only on animals as directed,” the FDA wrote.
“The bottom line is it’s not legal for what people use it for,” said Manship.
“These drugs have side effects,” said Shireen Banerji, director of the Nevada Poison Center. “You might be interacting with your current medication, so there is definitely a risk in trying to treat yourself with things that have not been prescribed for you.”
Before the pandemic, the poison center received no calls to advertise ivermectin, she mentioned. On August 23, the center received 4 calls. This does not apply to people who could have called themselves their doctor, 911 or further to the hospital.
“The fact that it was zero the year before matters,” she said. “If this trend continues, I’ll worry that more people will do the same, buy something that wasn’t prescribed for them, and then get into trouble.”
“I know COVID is scary, lockdowns are scary, but that’s not how you get over it,” said Manship.
Nevada Poison Control can be reached at 800-222-1222. Call 911 in the event of a medical emergency.
Serious risks from ivermectin include neurological problems, seizures, coma, and death.
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The World Health Organization first published information on ivermectin and coronavirus in March.
“We do not recommend using ivermectin in patients with COVID-19, except as part of a clinical trial,” the latest employee learned on Friday.
