Ivermectin tablets. Photo: Dimas Ardian/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The anti-parasitic ivermectin does not reduce the risk of COVID-19 hospitalization, according to a new study published Wednesday.
Driving the news: "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 study's authors wrote in the New England Journal of Medicine.
- The researchers studied more than 1,300 patients infected with the virus in Brazil — half received ivermectin and the other half received a placebo.
The big picture: Ivermectin, which is primarily used for veterinary purposes, soared in popularity over the pandemic, despite clinical trials showing that the drug was not effective in treating COVID-19.
- The Food and Drug Administration urged people to stop taking the anti-parasitic, warning that it could cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness, seizures, coma and, in some cases, death.
What they're saying: "Now that people can dive into the details and the data, hopefully that will steer the majority of doctors away from ivermectin towards other therapies," David Boulware, an infectious-disease expert at the University of Minnesota, told the New York Times.
Go deeper: Ivermectin prescriptions soar