Ivermectin, a drug traditionally used to treat parasitic infections, has been the subject of much debate in recent years due to its potential use in treating COVID-19. The drug, first discovered in 1975, has shown effectiveness against various types of parasites, and is commonly used in both humans and animals. Its anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties have led researchers to investigate its possible applications in treating SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of a recent study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, investigated the effectiveness of the drug in fighting Covid-19.
The Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions and Vaccines 6 (ACTIV-6) clinical trial aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of ivermectin at a maximum targeted dose of 600 μg/kg daily for six days in comparison with a placebo for the treatment of early mild to moderate COVID-19. The study was conducted among 1206 participants aged over 30 with confirmed COVID-19, experiencing at least two symptoms of acute infection for no more than seven days. Participants were enrolled at 93 sites across the United States between February 16, 2022, and July 22, 2022, with follow-up data available until November 10, 2022.
Participants were randomly assigned to receive either ivermectin (n = 602) or placebo (n = 604) for six days. The primary outcome measured was time to sustained recovery, defined as at least three consecutive days without symptoms. Seven secondary outcomes were also assessed, including a composite of hospitalization, death, or urgent/emergent care utilization by day 28.
DID YOU KNOW? Ivermectin is a drug that was discovered in the 1970s by Japanese microbiologist Satoshi Omura and Irish parasitologist William Campbell. They were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2015 for their discovery. Ivermectin is a powerful anti-parasitic drug that has been used to treat a wide range of infections caused by parasitic worms and mites in both animals and humans. It has been particularly effective in treating river blindness and lymphatic filariasis, which are endemic in many developing countries.
The study found that the median time to sustained recovery was 11 days in both the ivermectin and placebo groups. The hazard ratio for improvement in time to recovery was 1.02, with a 95% credible interval of 0.92-1.13 (P = .68). This indicates that ivermectin did not significantly improve the time to sustained recovery in comparison to the placebo.
Furthermore, the study showed that 34 (5.7%) participants in the ivermectin group were hospitalized, died, or had urgent or emergency care visits, compared to 36 (6.0%) in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 1.0 [95% credible interval, 0.6-1.5]; P = .53). In the ivermectin group, one participant died and four were hospitalized (0.8%); two participants (0.3%) were hospitalized in the placebo group, with no reported deaths. Adverse events were uncommon in both groups.
The ACTIV-6 clinical trial found that among outpatients with mild to moderate COVID-19, treatment with ivermectin at a maximum targeted dose of 600 μg/kg daily for six days did not improve time to sustained recovery compared to a placebo. These findings do not support the use of ivermectin in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19.
Despite the interest in repurposing existing drugs to fight the pandemic, it is essential for researchers to continue conducting rigorous clinical trials to determine the safety and efficacy of potential treatments. As such, this study contributes valuable information to the ongoing discussion surrounding the potential uses of ivermectin in treating COVID-19.
WORDS: Scientific Inquirer Staff.
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