During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, you asked us a lot about a series of headlines that claimed that “a drug that kills the coronavirus in 48 hours” had been discovered. They were referring to a drug called ivermectin o ivermectina and the find had been made by Australian scientists.
Since that time, ivermectin has continued to appear from time to time in WhatsApp chains and other content that claim that it is an almost miraculous drug against the coronavirus, which protects against infection, that the FDA (the US administration that regulates drugs) The United States has approved its use against COVID-19 and that in Australia, where its use has allegedly spread, there are no victims of the disease despite the fact that no one wears a mask or follows other safety measures.
We tell you what we know about all this.
The Australian Ivermectin Study: Results in vitro
Ivermectin is a medicine pesticide which is used both in human medicine, for example against malaria, as in veterinary medicine and that depending on the treatment it is taken in tablets or applied to the skin in the form of a cream.
Indeed, Australian scientists from the Discovery Institute of Biomedicine at Monash University in Melbourne and the Peter Doherty Institute for Infections and Immunity at the University of Melbourne published in April 2020 A study in which they reflected that ivermectin stops the replication of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 and is capable of killing the virus in a period of 48 hours.
However, it is important to note that these results were obtained in cell cultures in the laboratory, that is, in vitro. The conditions of these cultures can be very different from those found in the tissues of the organism of a living being and, specifically, from those of humans.
The most common is that viruses are more vulnerable in a crop and therefore it is easier to kill them there than it is to do it in a living being. In this case, the study authors themselves recognized that the same substance analyzed “has been shown to be effective in vitro against a broad spectrum of viruses including HIV, dengue, flu and Zika viruses“.
Therefore, although the results are positive, several important research phases are still missing before strong conclusions can be drawn regarding the possible use of this drug in people affected by COVID-19.
Another Spanish essay gives preliminary “promising” conclusions
In January 2021, ivermectin made headlines again because a clinical trial conducted in Spain concluded that, in cases of moderate COVID-19, it tends to reduce the viral load and with it the transmission as well as the duration of some symptoms. But again, these were preliminary results achieved with a small group of patients and more and larger studies will be needed to confirm those positive results. You can read more information about this study on the Sinc Agency.
The FDA Has Not Approved Ivermectin Against COVID-19
Some content circulating about this drug assures that the FDA, the US administration in charge of regulating the use of drugs, has approved it to “limit the viral load” of COVID-19.
However, the last update which can be found on the FDA website on ivermectin, as of December 16, 2020, only recognizes its approval as an antiparasitic, both in people and animals, but not its use as a treatment or prevention of COVID-19.
Subsequently, in May 2021, the FDA published on its website an article titled “Why you shouldn’t use ivermectin to treat or prevent COVID-19“in which he insists that the use of this drug against COVID-19 is not recommended, that it is only approved as an antiparasitic and that its consumption in high doses can be dangerous and cause damage to health. *
Yes there are cases and deaths from COVID-19 in Australia
Much of the misinformation that circulates about ivermectin ensures that in Australia the population consumes this drug on a regular basis and that is why there are hardly any cases and no one has died from the coronavirus despite the fact that safety measures such as masks or maintaining personal distance. We have contacted the Australian Ministry of Health to clarify whether the drug is being widely used and whether it is true that these measures have not been implemented. We will update this piece when we have a response.
But we do know that in Australia there are cases of COVID-19 and people are dying from this cause. According to the COVID-19 incidence tracking website updated daily by Johns Hopkins University, As of August 30, 2021, 52,611 cases have been confirmed in the country and 1,003 people have died.*
The advantages of ivermectin
Both Australian and Spanish scientists acknowledge that more studies are needed before converting ivermectin into a drug against COVID-19. If so, this drug would have a great advantage in its favor: since It is already being used today for other purposes, its security levels are known.
In addition, it is included in the list of essential drugs of the World Health Organization and, therefore, is available worldwide. This means that, if the investigations continue and its suitability as a treatment for the coronavirus is confirmed, it will be feasible to get the medicine to all patients who need it, wherever they are.
* Updated on August 30, 2021 to include the link to the article on the FDA website and to reflect the current numbers of people affected and deaths from COVID-19 in Australia.
First publication date of this article: 04/08/2020
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