WHO warns against use of Ivermectin for Covid treatment

The World Health Organization on Tuesday recommended against the general use of 'ivermectin' - an orally-administered drug used to treat parasitic infections - for treatment of Covid patients. A similar warning has also been issued by 'ivermectin' manufacturer MSD, or Merck & Co., Inc, whose statement Dr Swaminathan attached to her tweet. Merck said its scientists continue to "carefully examine findings of all available and emerging studies of 'ivermectin' for treatment of COVID." This is the second WHO warning against 'ivermectin' in the past two months. 

Safety and efficacy are important when using any drug for a new indication. @WHO recommends against the use of ivermectin for #COVID19 except within clinical trials https://t.co/dSbDiW5tCW

— Soumya Swaminathan (@doctorsoumya) May 10, 2021

Meanwhile, Goa Health Minister Vishwajit P Rane on Maondy said the state's green-lighting of the drug was after expert panels from the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain and Japan found a "statistically significant reduction in mortality, time to recovery, and viral clearance in COVID-19 patients treated with 'ivermectin'". Rane said treatment - 12 mg for five days - would be available for everyone over 18.

Patients will be treated with Ivermectin 12mg for a period of 5 days. Expert panels from the UK, Italy, Spain and Japan, found a large, statistically significant reduction in mortality, time to recovery and viral clearance in Covid-19 patients treated with Ivermectin. (2/4)

— VishwajitRane (@visrane) May 10, 2021