Large COVID-19 study finds no meaningful benefit of ivermectin vs. placebo

A large, randomized study in Brazil found that COVID-19 patients who received ivermectin, an anti-parasite medicine that surged in popularity as a potential treatment for the coronavirus, did not meaningfully reduce the risk of hospitalization.

The study included more than 3,500 who were randomly assigned to ivermectin (679 patients), placebo (679), or another intervention (2157).

“Treatment with ivermectin did not result in a lower incidence of medical admission to a hospital due to progression of COVID-19 or of prolonged emergency department observation among outpatients with an early diagnosis of COVID-19,” the researchers said in a paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Ivermectin became a flashpoint during the pandemic, with some users insisting it helped them recover and should be seen as a useful tool in the nation’s medicine cabinet.

Many scientists said there was no basis to believe the drug would be effective against COVID-19 and encouraged people to tap into vaccines and other treatments instead. 

The Food and Drug Administration said a formulation of ivermectin is approved for human use in treating parasitic worms and skin conditions, though many people associated the drug with its prevention of heartworm disease and parasites in some animals.

The FDA warned against using the drug for COVID-19, saying it could produce side effects or be dangerous if taken incorrectly.

The Brazil study found 100 patients (14.7%) in the ivermectin group had a primary-outcome event, meaning hospitalization or worsening COVID-19 resulting in an emergency room visit, as compared with 111 (16.3%) in the placebo group, a difference that wasn’t seen as “significantly or clinically meaningful lower risk” under the study framework.

FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf hailed the research, saying it provided evidence of what regulators had been arguing for some time.

“Studies like this provide reliable evidence to guide clinical, public health decision-making,” he tweeted. “There’s no evidence taking ivermectin will save you, but there’s plenty of evidence showing that getting vaccinated and boosted can keep you alive. Don’t wait. Get it done.”

For more information, visit The Washington Times COVID-19 resource page.