Analysis of 10 studies shows ivermectin not effective in treating COVID-19
A new meta-analysis of 10 studies shows ivermectin (IVM), an anti-parasite drug, is not an effective treatment for COVID-19 and is not a viable treatment option for patients. The study was published yesterday in
Clinical Infectious Diseases.
The authors analyzed results from 10 randomized control trials (RCTs) that included 1,173 patients total, and looked for IVM's effect on all-cause mortality, length of hospital stay, adverse events, and viral clearance compared to standard of care.
COVID-19 patients had mild disease in 8 of the trials, moderate in 1 trail, and mild to moderate in 1 trial.
IVM did not reduce all-cause mortality when compared to controls (relative risk, 0.37; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.12 to 1.13) or length of stay versus controls (0.72 days, 95% CI, −0.86 to 2.29). Adverse events, severe adverse events, and viral clearance were similar between IVM and controls, the authors found.