‘Alarmed’ AMA demands ‘immediate end’ to nonclinical trial use of ivermectin for COVID-19
Several medical organizations said they were vehemently “against the ordering, prescribing or dispensing of ivermectin to prevent or treat COVID-19” when it is not being used in a clinical trial.
“We are alarmed by reports that outpatient prescribing for and dispensing of ivermectin have increased 24-fold since before the pandemic and increased exponentially over the past few months,” the AMA, American Pharmacists Association (APhA) and American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) said in a press release.
Calls to poison control centers relating to ivermectin ingestion have increased fivefold since before the pandemic started, the press release said.
“As such, we are calling for an immediate end” to ivermectin use for COVID-19 outside of a clinical trial setting, the organizations said.
According to the press release, the AMA, APhA and ASHP recommendation regarding ivermectin is in line with recent statements from the CDC, FDA, NIH, WHO, the Infectious Diseases Society of America and Merck — the manufacturer of the drug — regarding its use.
The press release also indicated that adverse events tied to ivermectin use may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, hypotension, decreased consciousness, confusion, hallucinations, seizures, coma and death.
Perspective
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The AMA’s position statement was necessary because there has been a proliferation of ivermectin use for COVID-19 despite weak to no evidence of its benefit. There has been no convincing evidence from rigorously designed clinical trials to show that this is a beneficial treatment.
On the contrary, there appears to have been fraudulent data in some of the research used to promote its use. Additionally, this drug has become part of a political campaign that has attempted to undermine the vaccine and at the same time put patients at risk, as evidenced by the marked increase in poison center calls.
Physicians should be exemplars of rationality, logic and evidence-based medicine based upon the scientific method. Until a rigorously design clinical trial (like PRINCIPLE) demonstrates benefit, physicians should not be prescribing ivermectin for COVID-19-related reasons. The AMA is correct to ostracize those who do.
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