Monday, October 18, 2021

Ivermectin: The Elephant in the Room

Much of the controversy regarding ivermectin involves "Evidence" that the drug has a benefit in treatment of COVID. Detractors will often use the hyperbolic claim that there is no evidence that ivermectin is useful in this setting.

A large randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial would go a long way to resolving the controversies regarding ivermectin in the treatment of COVID-19.

One of the discoverers of ivermectin, Satoshi Omura, who was awarded a Nobel Prize for his accomplishment, reportedly approached Merck about conducting a large, rigorous trial of ivermectin in the treatment of COVID in Japan.

Governments are spending billions on COVID-related interventions, yet they show no interest in even a preliminary study of ivermectin.

A cynical view is that Merck is interested in promoting its novel agent molnupiravir, a drug that it would sell to the United States government for $700 dollars per course of treatment, as compared to less than $3 a course for ivermectin.

Another consideration is that conducting a valid, large trial of ivermectin in the treatment of COVID will be expensive and complex.

At least, provide data that would tend to support or refute the hypothesis that ivermectin has a role in treating COVID. The response to the COVID pandemic has produced a number of distressing and questionable policies: mandates, lockdowns, threatening people's jobs, and contributing to the psychological effects of uncertainty and increasing authoritarianism.

https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2021/10/ivermectin_the_elephant_in_the_room.html 

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