CDC Warns of Increased Ivermectin Overdoses

No abstract available. Article truncated after 150 words. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning of an increase in cases of ivermectin overdose due to people self-prescribing the drug in an effort to prevent or treat COVID-19 (1). Ivermectin is used to treat river blindness and intestinal roundworm infection in humans and to de-worm pets and livestock. A study published earlier this year showed that ivermectin killed SARS-CoV-2 in cells in vitro. The authors proposed that the medication be investigated as a cheap and easily available treatment for COVID-19. However, subsequent studies have failed to find any benefit in humans (3). In a new communication to its Health Alert Network, the CDC says cases of overdose and misuse are rising (1). More than 88,000 prescriptions were written for the drug ivermectin in the week ending August 13, an increase of 2400% over the weekly average prior to the COVID-19 pandemic (Figure 1). Unfortunately, the …