Why Are People Taking Horse Medication for COVID-19 Infections?

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While the COVID-19 vaccines remain the best bet in protecting you and others against the deadly virus, some people have apparently decided to turn to horse medicine. Yes, you read that correctly.

Recently, an Ohio judge ordered a hospital to treat an ailing COVID-19 patient with ivermectin, which is a drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat or prevent parasites in animals, one that's commonly used in horses, according to the FDA website. Although tablets of ivermectin have been approved for human use in specific doses (typically much lower doses than those administered to animals) when treating some parasitic worms, as well as topical formulations for head lice and skin conditions (such as rosacea), the FDA has not authorized the drug in the prevention of COVID-19 nor to aid those infected with the virus. (Related: The Potential Mental Health Effects of COVID-19 You Need to Know About)

The news out of Ohio comes days after the Mississippi Poison Control Center stated it had "received an increasing number of calls from individuals" who had been potentially exposed to ivermectin when taken to combat or even prevent COVID-19. The Mississippi Poison Control Center added in a state-wide health alert last week that "at least 70 percent of calls have been related to ingestion of livestock or animal formulations of ivermectin purchased at livestock supply centers."

What's more, while some doctors are refusing to prescribe the drug to patients who request it, others are more willing to offer the treatment, despite the lack of evidence to support its efficacy, according to reporting from The New York Times. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted a rise in ivermectin prescriptions dispensed from retail pharmacies across the country this month with some unable to fill the orders due to the increased demand.

Although it's unclear what started this dangerous trend, one thing appears to be evident: Consuming ivermectin can lead to potentially harmful consequences.

What Is Ivermectin, Exactly?

In short, when dispensed appropriately, ivermectin is used to treat some internal and external parasites along with preventing heartworm disease in animals, according to the FDA.

For humans, ivermectin tablets are approved for limited uses: internally for the treatment of parasitic worms, and topically for the treatment of parasites, such as head lice or rosacea caused by Demodex mites, according to the FDA.

To be clear, ivermectin is not an anti-viral, which is a drug typically used to combat diseases (as in COVID-19), according to the FDA.

Why Is Taking Ivermectin Unsafe?

For starters, when humans consume a large amount of ivermectin, it can be hazardous to your physical health in more ways than one. Given how much larger animals such as cows and horses are compared to human beings, treatments specified for livestock are "often highly concentrated," meaning "high doses can be highly toxic" for people, according to the FDA.

In the case of an ivermectin overdose, humans can potentially experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, hypotension (low blood pressure), allergic reactions (itching and hives), dizziness, seizures, coma, and even death, according to the FDA.

Not to mention the agency itself has not analyzed the very limited data around its usage against COVID-19.

What Are Health Officials Saying?

There's no gray area when it comes to humans taking ivermectin — for COVID-19 or otherwise. The answer is simply, "Don't do it," said Anthony Fauci, M.D., director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in a recent interview with CNN. When asked about the rising interest in using ivermectin to treat or prevent COVID-19, Dr. Fauci told the news outlet, "there's no evidence whatsoever that it works." "It could potentially have toxicity... with people who have gone to poison control centers because they've taken the drug at a ridiculous dose and wind up getting sick," said Dr. Fauci on CNN.

In addition to a tablet form of ivermectin, The New York Times has reported that people are acquiring the drug from livestock supply centers, where it can come in liquid or highly concentrated paste forms.

As a reminder, the CDC has also advised that those who aren't vaccinated against COVID-19 get inoculated, stating it is "the safest and most effective way" to prevent illness and to protect themselves and others against severe sickness. (Related: Why Is the New Delta COVID Variant So Contagious?)

With information about COVID-19 changing on the regular, it can be easy to get caught up in a web of what's true and what's false. TLDR: at best, ivermectin does nothing to help battle or prevent COVID-19. At worst, it can make you extremely sick. (Related: Pfizer's COVID-19 Vaccine Is the First to Be Fully Approved by the FDA)

The information in this story is accurate as of press time. As updates about coronavirus COVID-19 continue to evolve, it's possible that some information and recommendations in this story have changed since initial publication. We encourage you to check in regularly with resources such as the CDC, the WHO, and your local public health department for the most up-to-date data and recommendations.