Washington County is completely sold out of ivermectin because so many people are eating it

ST. GEORGE — C-A-L Ranch Stores. IFA. Tractor Supply Co. Steve Regan Co. Every animal and ranch supply store in Washington County is currently sold out of the animal deworming drug ivermectin because so many people are buying and using it on themselves.

The stores say this is unprecedented. They have never seen this much demand for the drug. They cannot even keep it stocked because as soon as a new shipment is brought in customers clear the shelves. Some of the stores had waiting lists to purchase ivermectin.

Why? Disinformation, spreading through Reddit and some Facebook groups, has prompted some people to start using the drug in an attempt to cure or prevent COVID-19.

Please, do not do this.

According to the FDA, ivermectin is sometimes used in small doses “for some parasitic worms, and there are topical (on the skin) formulations for head lice and skin conditions like rosacea.” But ivermectin is not an anti-viral drug, and no studies have proven it to be effective against COVID-19.

A July research review conducted by scientists in the UK and Germany compared 14 different studies done on the effectiveness of ivermectin for treating COVID-19. Link here. The 14 studies done were all relatively small, and the review concluded that not a single one of the studies proved that ivermectin did anything against COVID-19 in humans.

“Currently there’s not enough evidence for us to recommend ivermectin,” said Dr. Patrick Carroll, Medical Director for the Intermountain Healthcare St. George Regional Hospital. “While some individual studies suggest there may be benefit, an overall analysis of all studies does not demonstrate benefit. If you are sick, we strongly advise you seek professional medical care and work with your doctor for the best treatment for you.”

One thing we do know is that people should never use drugs meant for animals, and adverse side effects are already common among people taking ivermectin.

According to the FDA: “Some of the side-effects that may be associated with ivermectin include skin rash, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, facial or limb swelling, neurologic adverse events (dizziness, seizures, confusion), sudden drop in blood pressure, severe skin rash potentially requiring hospitalization and liver injury (hepatitis). Laboratory test abnormalities include decrease in white cell count and elevated liver tests.”

Business Insider reported that some doctors have seen people shedding parts of their intestinal mucus or intestinal lining as a result of taking animal ivermectin.

According to the CDC, calls to US poison control centers for ivermectin misuse have increased fivefold since before the pandemic.

Animal feed and supply stores in Washington County have had to put up signs in their store reminding customers that animal ivermectin is not for human consumption.

Tractor Supply Co. in Hurricane said ivermectin is normally a popular product anyway, and is great for its intended purpose — deworming livestock. They said right now is deworming season and the product is in high demand from ranchers looking to treat their animals. So please, leave it for the horses. And as the FDA tweeted, “You are not a horse.”

If you are having trouble obtaining ivermectin for your pets or livestock, the FDA recommends coordinating with your veterinarian.

Again, there is currently no evidence that ivermectin can be used to treat or prevent COVID-19. Ivermectin should only be used by humans when prescribed by a doctor for FDA approved reasons. The ivermectin products used on animals are different from the ones used on humans, and should never be taken by humans.

Currently, the only proven way to prevent serious illness as a result of COVID-19 is by getting vaccinated. The FDA recently approved the Pfizer vaccine for human use, and the other brands are approved under emergency use authorization (EUA).

Masking, social distancing, and avoiding large crowds are all also still recommended to slow the spread of COVID-19.

• FDA article on the proper uses of ivermectin
• CDC article on ivermectin use