Doctor explains why people should not take horse medication to treat COVID - WILX-TV

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - According to the Ingham County Health Department, poison control has received a spike nationwide for treatment surrounding an anti-parasite drug called Ivermectin. News 10 spoke with the county health director this afternoon to see why this is happening.

Ivermectin is a drug used to fight parasites like hook worm. However, nationwide people are taking it to try to battle COVID. Aside from the lack of proof of its effectiveness, doctors are even more concerned by where they're getting it from: Farm supply stores.

Dr. Nike Shoyink is Medical Director for the Ingham County Health Department.

"First of all, we're not horses, right?" Shoyink asked. "So, the doses that are used in horses are obviously higher. People are purchasing these different formulations that are not for human beings."

Dr. Shoyink says taking Ivermectin in such high doses can be devastating.

"When you do take doses that are higher, if we're looking at, say, toxicity, you're talking about nausea, vomiting, G.I. problems, headaches, confusion, hallucinations and things like that," Shoyink said. "But, that's not all. If you take an overdose it can lead to death."

She says there was actually a study done this summer in South America using Ivermectin to treat COVID. It proved unsuccessful.

"They studied like 500 people," Shoyink said. "The people who did have Ivermectin compared to the people who didn't-- who had COVID-- that study showed they had to be ventilated. They had to intubate them sooner than the people who didn't."

Dr. Shoyink suggests people who are interested in trying Ivermectin speak to their doctor first, or, receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

"If you get vaccinated it has been proven to prevent severe illness and to prevent death," Dr. Shoynik said.

For more on why you should not turn to Ivermectin for COVID relief, you can visit the FDA's website.

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