A recent survey found that more Americans believe the often-demonized anti-parasite drug is effective.
A growing number of Americans think that ivermectin is an effective COVID-19 treatment, according to a recent survey from a university.
About 26 percent of respondents believe that the drug—long used to treat parasites—can treat the virus, according to the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg Public Policy Center. That’s up from 10 percent who thought the same in September 2021.
The percentage of people who called that statement “false” also rose to 37 percent in November 2023, up from 27 percent in September 2021, the survey found. The overall number of people who aren’t sure declined, from 63 percent to 38 percent in the same time period.
Without elaborating, the survey’s authors said that the 26 percent “incorrectly” said that ivermectin is effective, while it has pointed to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) statements saying the agency has not authorized or approved the drug for preventing or treating COVID-19, and it has claimed that data shows it isn’t effective against the virus. It has been approved to treat a variety of other illnesses, namely ones caused by parasites, while the World Health Organization (WHO) has regarded it as an essential medicine to treat a number of different ailments.
However, WHO issued a warning last week saying that it strongly recommends against giving ivermectin to patients with “non-severe” COVID-19 and advises against giving the drug to those with severe or critical COVID-19.
Notably, about half of the studies that the FDA has referenced in saying that it isn’t safe or effective support using ivermectin against COVID-19, according to a 2022 Epoch Times review.
In social media posts and in statements, the FDA has often said that ivermectin shouldn’t be used to treat the virus. Several of those comments triggered a lawsuit from doctors, who argued that the FDA shouldn’t be making recommendations and that its role is to approve drugs. Some individuals have also filed lawsuits against hospitals to force medical officials to allow its use for treating COVID-19.
Dr. Pierre Kory, who said he frequently prescribes ivermectin for COVID-19, told The Epoch Times that the FDA’s position on ivermectin “is one of the most glaring examples of the corruption of modern evidence-based medicine.”
