Ivermectin is an unproven and "dangerous" COVID-19 treatment that is mostly used to deworm livestock.
According to The Washington Post, horse owners are having difficulty buying the drug due to high demand.
Right-wing media has driven demand by falsely claiming it to be a "miracle solution."
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According to reports, horse owners who deworm their horses with equine Ivermectin are having difficulty getting the drug. This is because Americans are scrambling to purchase the unproven COVID-19 treatment.
According to The Washington Post, those who wanted to buy the antiparasitic treatment have found themselves in a void.
The paper reported that QC Supply, a Nebraska-based distributor of livestock supplies, is out of stock of syringes of ivermectin powder online. The Washington Post reported that the paste is not available for online orders through Fleet Farm's website, a Midwest retailer.
News Channel 5 reported last month that a Las Vegas feed shop said they had sold out of the drug. The shortage was attributed to people who purchased it as an unsafe COVID-19 treatment.
According to Nikki Fried, Florida's agriculture commissioner, the drug is also being sold out. This is a problem for Florida's agricultural sector. "This product is supposed to be used by animals. So, of course, when the feedstock runs out, whether it's for cattle or horses, and our industry isn't able to get them, that's an issue."
The shortage is reportedly frustrating horse owners. Cindy Greely, a Wisconsin horse owner, said that the shortage is making it difficult for them to buy ivermectin. She said that it can be difficult to find the drug.
Greely stated that ivermectin prices have more than doubled.
BuzzFeed News has heard from several horse owners that their horses have experienced significant price increases. According to the media outlet a $7 deworming treatment can sell for as high as $44 on Amazon.
BuzzFeed News reported that Durvet paste prices rose to $277 in late August after the site camelcamelcamel.com tracked the price fluctuations in Amazon listings.
According to The Washington Post, demand has risen in recent weeks due to high-profile individuals promoting ivermectin, which is an unproven alternative for COVID-19.
Joe Rogan, Laura Ingraham, and Hilary Brueck, Insider's Hilary Brueck, have promoted the drug. They also reported that two fringe doctors have propagated the myth that it is a miracle cure for COVID-19.
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Ivermectin tablets can be prescribed at specific doses to humans for treating head lice, rosacea and other parasitic worms. However, self-administration can prove to be dangerous.
NPR reports that there has been an increase in poison control center calls due to self-medicating with Ivermectin.
The Oregon Poison Center handled 25 cases in which ivermectin was used to treat or prevent COVID-19, according to The Washington Post.
Ivermectin is not approved or authorized for human use to prevent or treat COVID-19. FDA stated that there is no evidence to support ivermectin's effectiveness against COVID-19. Clinical trials are ongoing to establish efficacy.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have also warned against using ivermectin.
