Ivermectin doesn't meaningfully aid COVID-19 recovery, study finds

Ivermectin, a drug used to treat parasitic infections, has no meaningful benefit for treating COVID-19 symptoms, according to a new study from Duke University.

• Duke and Vanderbilt University researchers studied around 1,500 people with COVID-19, with half receiving ivermectin and the other a placebo.

• The findings were published online Sunday, but have not yet been peer reviewed.

Why it matters: The Duke study is one of the largest clinical trials to show ivermectin — which soared in popularity to treat COVID symptoms during the pandemic — is not effective for doing so.

What they're saying: "Given these results, there does not appear to be a role for ivermectin outside of a clinical trial setting, especially considering other available options with proven reduction in hospitalizations and death," Adrian Hernandez, the executive director of the Duke Clinical Research Institute, said in a statement. Hernandez led the study.

The big picture: This was not the first study to suggest the ineffectiveness of ivermectin against COVID-19.

• A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found the drug does not reduce the risk of COVID-19 hospitalization, Axios reported.

What's next: Duke plans to study ivermectin further, with another volunteer group receiving 50% more of the drug than it did in this study.

Go deeper: Read the full study here.