With the pandemic still happening in the world, scientists are looking for medications that could potentially help diminish the symptoms of COVID-19 in patients. One of the drugs that are currently actively studied to see its influence on COVID-19 is Ivermectin, which is commonly used for the treatment of parasites, onchocerciasis, and strongyloidiasis.
Which studies have been conducted?
One of the earliest studies was conducted in February 2021. It was published in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases by a group of medical specialists. According to the research, 72 people with COVID-19 participated in the five-day course and consumed Ivermectin. The results of this study indicated that this medication has antiviral properties and can be helpful when administered at the first symptoms.
The scientists stated that:
‘A 5-day course of Ivermectin resulted in an earlier clearance of the virus compared to placebo (p = 0.005), thus indicating that early intervention with this agent may limit viral replication within the host. In the 5-day ivermectin group, there was a significant drop in CRP and LDH by day 7, which are indicators of disease severity.’
While the conclusions obtained in this study seemed promising, the number of people that participated was not enough to make conclusions in regards to the use of Ivermectin. After this study, another group of specialists has conducted a clinical trial in which they involved almost 500 patients diagnosed with COVID-19. Just like in the previous research, the patients had mild symptoms to see how they would react to the administration of the medication. The results of this research were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in March 2021.
In the article, the scientists mentioned that:
‘Among adults with mild COVID-19, a 5-day course of ivermectin, compared with placebo, did not significantly improve the time to resolution of symptoms’ At the same time, they admit that involving more than 500 people in a trial is needed to understand the influence of this medication on other ‘clinically relevant outcomes.’
More research is still required
Currently, it is still too early to tell whether the administration of Ivermectin to patients experiencing mild symptoms of COVID-19 provides a significant improvement in their condition. At the same time, medical specialists suggest that an extensive trial involving more people is required to draw the most accurate conclusions. It seems that there is currently no proof that you should purchase Ivermectin if you notice the symptoms of COVID-19.