SEATTLE — Demand for ivermectin has increased nationwide, despite health agencies’ warnings about the dangers of consuming it for non-FDA-approved purposes. No evidence has been found that the drug is effective in preventing or treating COVID-19.
Ivermectin is most commonly used for veterinary purposes, though it is sometimes prescribed to humans to treat parasites.
Over 88,000 ivermectin prescriptions were reported nationwide in the second week of August, an amount 24 times higher than the pre-pandemic figure, the Washington State Department of Health said in a news release.
Since last year, the Washington Poison Center has received a threefold increase in calls regarding ivermectin, said Dr. Scott Phillips, the medical director for the center. He attributed the rise in calls to misinformation. The center received 31 calls about ivermectin between Jan. 1 and Aug. 30, more than triple the number of calls received in all of 2020, which was nine.
Most calls were from people asking about ivermectin safety, though some calls were made from people who were recently hospitalized or were experiencing mild to moderate symptoms of poisoning, he said.
No severe cases resulting in death have been reported. However, it is unclear how many hospitalizations or deaths have occurred across the state in relation to ivermectin use because the Department of Health does not track that data, and local hospitals are not required to report those cases, said DOH spokesperson Frank Ameduri.
Though the drug is typically used for veterinary purposes, it is FDA approved to treat some parasitic worms, external parasites and skin conditions in humans.
Reports across the country have shown people using veterinary ivermectin, which is much higher in concentration. People desperate for the drug have taken to Reddit and elsewhere to purchase ivermectin doses without consulting medical professionals.
Humans should never consume veterinary ivermectin, even if they reduce the dosage, Washington Medical Commission spokesperson Stephanie Mason said. It has a different chemical compound that can be extremely dangerous, she said.
The Washington Medical Commission has received eight complaints so far, which are currently under investigation, Mason said. The commission relies on complaints to investigate.
But there’s a fine line when it comes to deciding whether physicians are meeting the standard of care, because even though ivermectin is not approved for COVID-19 treatment, it is a legal drug and FDA approved in some respects, she said.
Dr. Nathan Schlicher, president of the Washington State Medical Association, said that just because a medication is used off-label, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the wrong thing. He noted that millions of treatments are off-label and still generally respected treatments. But claims that ivermectin is effective in treating or preventing COVID-19 are unfounded and misinformed, he said.
There are serious risks to taking unprescribed ivermectin, Schlicher said. The drug can lower someone’s blood pressure and increase their heart rate, which can be dangerous for someone fighting against COVID-19.
“Whether it’s hydroxychloroquine or ivermectin it gets into that range of causing harm,” Schlicher said.
