Ivermectin Does Not Shorten Recovery Time From Covid, Study Finds

The time needed to recover from Covid is not reduced by the anti-parasite drug ivermectin. The largest of several trials shows that the drug is not effective against the virus.

About half of the people who took part in the trial got Covid, and the other half got a placebo. There is a study that has not yet been published.

There does not appear to be a role for ivermectin outside of a clinical trial setting.

Experiments on cells suggested that ivermectin could block the coronaviruses. ivermectin is an inexpensive drug that has been used for decades against parasites.

Despite a lack of results from large randomized clinical trials, the drug became wildly popular. The studies were disappointing when they were done. A study published in March shows that 679 people with Covid received ivermectin. People who took a placebo were less likely to go to a hospital for Covid.

A new study of ivermectin was part of a larger effort to identify drugs that might help treat Covid. The program has been testing an antiasthma drug and an antidepressants.

The ivermectin was given to people who were diagnosed with Covid, while the placebo was given to people who weren't. Researchers watched how their cases progressed.

The people on ivermectin did not get better quicker than those who did not. More than one group ended up in the hospital. The volunteer who died received ivermectin.

The researchers said that almost half of the volunteers had been vaccine free. The shots may have made it harder to detect a benefit.

The researchers didn't completely rule out the possibility that ivermectin could be used to treat Covid. The people who were already suffering from Covid when they entered the trial were more likely to fare better if they triedivermectin. The small numbers made it hard to draw conclusions about ivermectin's benefits. It's possible that the effect was the result of chance.

The researchers will continue to test ivermectin at higher levels. Fifty percent more of the drug will be given to a new group of volunteers.

The ACTIV6 team will continue to study this higher dose to see if it will make a difference in the treatment of mild- to-moderate COVID-19.