A judge in Ohio, USA, issued an emergency order for a hospital to treat a seriously ill COVID-19 patient with "ivermectin," an antiparasitic drug. Right-wing groups in the United States promote the use of "ivermectin," despite the World Health Organization not endorsing its use due to a lack of data. The WHO currently recommends limiting the use of this drug to clinical trials.
Ivermectin is a widely used antiparasitic agent, included in the list of essential medicines for treating various parasitic diseases, and is used for treating river blindness (onchocerciasis), ascariasis, and other diseases caused by soil-transmitted worms. It is also used to treat scabies, according to the WHO.
In recent weeks, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have warned against taking "ivermectin," following reports of overdoses among people attempting to self-treat for COVID-19 with it, stating that it is intended for use in animals.
According to the American newspaper (The Enquirer), court documents showed that a judge from the Cincinnati Court of Appeals ruled on August 23 that a hospital in the city must treat patient Jeffrey Smith (51 years old) with "ivermectin." The hospital initially refused to comply with the prescription, citing the lack of reliable scientific evidence proving its efficacy in treating COVID-19, which is caused by the virus.
Recently, this drug has garnered attention from vaccine skeptics in America, particularly among right-wing individuals who have come to believe it is a miracle cure for COVID-19 and that pharmaceutical companies are hiding this knowledge to protect vaccine profits.
