What is Ivermectin, why did Goa govt recommended it to all above 18?

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What is Ivermectin, why did Goa govt recommended it to all above 18?

The World Health Organization (WHO) also warned against the use of Ivermectin for Covid-19, with the only exception of clinical trials.

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May 11, 2021 17:12 IST
What is Ivermectin, why did Goa govt recommended it to all above 18?
What is Ivermectin, why did Goa govt recommended it to all above 18?

New Delhi: Health Minister of Goa, Vishwajit Rane announced on Monday that all adults, i.e., everyone above the age of 18 in the state, will be given the ‘Ivermectin’ anti-p0arasitic drug irrespective of whether they have contracted coronavirus disease (Covid-19) or not.

The minister claimed that the medicine has proven to bring down the Covid-19 mortality rate in several countries across the world. Whereas, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had warned against the use of this drug in treating coronavirus patients as early as April, 2020.

Apart from the FDA, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) had also opted to no include ‘Ivermectin’ in their last year’s official Clinical Management Protocol for Covid-19. Experts from the Central government’s joint monitoring group and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)’s Covid-19 task force held a meeting to discuss the issue and decided not to include Ivermectin in the clinical management protocol. PTI reported that the decision was taken “because of lack of sufficient evidence on its efficacy based on randomised trials held in India and abroad.”

Uses of Ivermectin

Ivermectin is a medicine which is mainly used for the treatment of various types of parasite infections. FDA stated that Ivermectin is a veterinary drug, often used in the USA to treat or prevent infections caused by parasites in animals. Ivermectin tablets are usually approved in very specific doses for some parasitic worms, and if there are topical (on the skin) formulations for head lice and skin conditions like rosacea. Still, the Ivermectin preparations approved for humans are very different from the ones used for animals.

Scientist on use of Ivermectin

In June last year, a report was published in Antiviral Research which clearly mentioned that Ivermectin “warrants further investigation for possible benefits in humans” and the drug generated widespread excitement in medical and veterinary journals. Report further said that most of them described it incorrectly as a treatment or cure for Covid-19.

Studies showed that doses in much higher amount of doses would be required to achieve an anti-viral effect on humans. But that amount exceeds the maximum amount approved or the lomit which is safely achievable for humans. Such high doses were not approved for use on humans, since it would actually prove toxic as the drug is said to operate by suppressing cellular process of a host.

A small group of researchers in India summarized the results of four small studies on Ivermectin as a treatment for Covid-19 as the it showed a statistically significant improvement in survival rate among patients. But the authors also stated that the quality of the evidence was low and further trials are required to determine its effectiveness.

In November last year, a systemic review concluded that there’s “weak evidence” of Ivermectin’s benefit when used as an add-on therapy in non-severe Covid-19 cases. There was no difference in the patients who received a placebo and others who received Ivermectin in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in the same year.

FDA’s Warning

Last year, FDA had to issue a warning against the use of Ivermectin in Covid-19 treatment, as the evidence was not solid enough to come to a conclusion based on multiple small-scale studies.

The international agencies which have warned against the use of Ivermectin in COVID-19 treatment are – the FDA, the European Medicines Agency, and the United States National Institutes of Health. Each one them said that better studies and larger trials are needed to determine if the drug has any actual benefits.

The World Health Organization (WHO) also warned against the use of Ivermectin for Covid-19, with the only exception of clinical trials. Saumya Swaminathan, the chief scientist at WHO, tweeted out earlier on Tuesday, saying “Safety and efficacy are important when using any drug for a new indication.” Dr Swaminathan  also attached a statement from Merck, the German healthcare corporation, on the use of Ivermectin during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Guidelines issued in Goa

The government of Goa is proceeding on the path of providing every adult with Ivermectin despite the lack of strong evidence and warnings by international agencies.

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