Another warning about Ivermectin today
https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/scientists-and-health-agencies-warn-against-ivermectin-for-covid-19-saying-it-lacks-concrete-evidence-1.5574145
Still, in the U.S., ivermectin use has skyrocketed, with 88,000 prescriptions filled per week in mid-August.
And those who can’t get a prescription are taking the agricultural route, where a dosage meant for cows and horses — animals that weigh significantly more than humans and have completely different physiologies — creates a real possibility of poisoning.
Anyway should be clear by now. Here is the rest of the article with the origins of the Ivermectin 'myth'
A handful of studies have found that ivermectin gives promising results to fight COVID-19 in a lab setting. Yet while this is an important first step in any drug testing, it doesn’t mean that the same results are achievable in humans.
“The concentrations used in vitro may not be achievable in therapeutic doses," Ruben Hernandez, pharmaceutical chemist at San Borja Arriaran hospital in Santiago, Chile told AFP in January.
In a March 2021 study that looked at 400 patients, researchers found that a five-day course of ivermectin in adults with mild COVID-19 did not improve the resolution of their symptoms.
A comprehensive analysis published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews in late July 2021, which looked at 14 different studies on ivermectin and COVID-19, found that the “reliable evidence available does not support the use of ivermectin for treatment or prevention of COVID‐19.”
The review added that the existing completed studies on the topic are small, “and few are considered high quality.”
Some studies the review looked at, while seemingly showing positive results, were designed in a way that provided only “low-certainty” evidence. For instance, in one of the studies the review looked at, the only outcome for analysis was mortality, but no one in the study died — including those who were receiving no treatment as opposed to receiving ivermectin.
Other studies outside of this review have shown positive results only to be disputed later.
Scientists in Argentina stated in an oft-cited paper last year that ivermectin could prevent 100 per cent of COVID-19 infections.
But critics quickly found issues with the trial, from the eyebrow-raising 100 per cent statistic — something extremely rare in drug trials — to the speedy acceptance of the paper and inconsistencies in the details of the study, such as the number of participants in the study seemingly changing from table to table.
A BuzzFeed News investigation into the paper said that Hector Carvallo, the researcher who oversaw the project, would not share his data widely, even with one of the collaborators on the study, who eventually asked for his name to be removed from it.
On Aug. 26, 2021, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published an advisory describing the uptick in people using ivermectin.
“Clinical trials and observational studies to evaluate the use of ivermectin to prevent and treat COVID-19 in humans have yielded insufficient evidence for the NIH COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel to recommend its use,” the advisory stated.
“Data from adequately sized, well-designed, and well-conducted clinical trials are needed to provide more specific, evidence-based guidance on the role of ivermectin in the treatment of COVID-19.”
Although the drug has been approved for use with COVID-19 in some countries in Latin America, scientists worldwide have continued to caution that we simply do not have the evidence to support it.
Unfortunately, when health agencies state that they have not approved certain drugs for treatment of COVID-19, some groups don’t see this as health agencies doing their due diligence to ensure only safe and effective treatments reach the public.
Instead, they claim that evidence of the drug's effectiveness is being deliberately hidden from the public, seeing health agencies and scientists as part of a conspiracy.
All over social media, there are groups like the Manitoba Ivermectin Alliance, which aims to promote ivermectin use with COVID-19. One thousand people have joined this particular Facebook group.
Its founder said in a letter online that “Ivermectin can stop the pandemic in its tracks. However, this information is being suppressed.”
Claims like these are concerning to public health experts.
“On one hand, you have these vaccines, which are arguably the most studied vaccines in human history, we have hundreds of millions of data points showing efficacy and really amazing safety profile,” said Timothy Caulfield, a public health policy expert. “And then on the other hand, you have an unproven therapy, and they are opting for the latter.”
Similarly, Dr. Shazma Mithansi, an ER physician in Edmonton, told CTV News, “There is no evidence to show that Ivermectin has any sort of meaningful effect on treatment or propholaxysis.
“People need to stop taking it. It’s dangerous.”
At home things aren't looking good at all. The prepare for school page is still "not found" with school starting tomorrow. The local Covid tracking agency has stopped updating in weekends and statutory holidays (today) so no update until after school starts tomorrow. 'Limiting capacity' to the fair is a joke, people are still sanding hip to hip, 95% without masks, same as at the demolition derby in the evening. Yet any fall out that won't be known until next week anyway. Cases are going up with projections to climb exponentially if contacts aren't reduced by 30%. How will that be achieved with more openings, schools starting, just after a long weekend with many people traveling to events.
We have no choice but to send them to school tomorrow, since they'll need to get familiarized with the new procedures together with everyone else. Plus we think the school won't stay open long with the way things are going, better get them some face time with the teacher and other kids before it's all closed again. Time to roll the dice... Meanwhile my wife is resigning to the idea that this might end her... What do you choose, the well-being and future of your kids, or that of your wife. She says its best to send them to school, and she's right, they need it.
This is our outlook
That 25% reduction has already been upped to 30% reduction needed in the past few days. Probably needs to be higher again to stop the train after Labour day weekend.
