Re: Covid-19: This is a gamble and not a plan. Another look at Ivermectin
Dear Editor,
There are now >70 studies of Ivermectin for COVID19: >50 are peer reviewed, >30 are RCTs. They cover prophylaxis, early and severe disease. Most show benefit. At worst, meta-analyses assign mild to moderate certainty. Surely, with Omicron causing mayhem, vaccines protecting imperfectly and permitting transmission, and with the many problems, long term uncertainties and expense of the new agents, we must resuscitate discussion of the potential of Ivermectin, especially in primary care and early stage disease. The real life experiences in the Dominican Republic, select regions of Peru and Argentina, of Mexico City, of Goa, of Uttar Pradesh vs Kerala, of Itajai in Brazil and many others can't all be wrong. Are we suspicious of their data because some are LMIC? As we enter the third year of this pandemic, and notwithstanding the powerful pressures to maintain an uncontested market for new drugs/agents to be sold at (great) profit, we should take a fresh look at this important medicine.
Competing interests:
No competing interests
20 January 2022
Wendy Hoy
Physician and Researcher
None
University of Queensland, Australia
Centre for Chronic Disease, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston
Rapid Response:
Re: Covid-19: This is a gamble and not a plan. Another look at Ivermectin
Dear Editor,
There are now >70 studies of Ivermectin for COVID19: >50 are peer reviewed, >30 are RCTs. They cover prophylaxis, early and severe disease. Most show benefit. At worst, meta-analyses assign mild to moderate certainty. Surely, with Omicron causing mayhem, vaccines protecting imperfectly and permitting transmission, and with the many problems, long term uncertainties and expense of the new agents, we must resuscitate discussion of the potential of Ivermectin, especially in primary care and early stage disease. The real life experiences in the Dominican Republic, select regions of Peru and Argentina, of Mexico City, of Goa, of Uttar Pradesh vs Kerala, of Itajai in Brazil and many others can't all be wrong. Are we suspicious of their data because some are LMIC? As we enter the third year of this pandemic, and notwithstanding the powerful pressures to maintain an uncontested market for new drugs/agents to be sold at (great) profit, we should take a fresh look at this important medicine.
Competing interests: No competing interests