ivermectin
A national shortage and tenfold increase in Australians importing ivermectin in August has sparked a warning from the Therapeutic Goods Administration against the use of the medicine, which is typically used to deworm livestock, as a treatment for Covid-19.


Comment: This is a glaring example of how the establishment in league with the media are blatantly distorting the facts as part of an agenda to tar a variety of medications that are legitimate treatments for the coronavirus.

Ivermectin is a demonstrably safe and effective medicine for humans but they're implying that it's primary use is for deworming animals. However, Wikipedia tells us that it's not only approved for humans by the FDA, but the WHO considers it an 'essential medicine'; the same cannot be said for the experimental injections that are still on emergency use authorisation and the trials involving billions of people won't be finished until next year at the earliest:
Ivermectin is a medication that is used to treat parasite infestations.[6][7] In humans, this includes head lice, scabies, river blindness (onchocerciasis), strongyloidiasis, trichuriasis, ascariasis, and lymphatic filariasis.[6][8][9][10] In veterinary medicine, it is used to prevent and treat heartworm and acariasis, among other indications.[9] It can be taken by mouth or applied to the skin for external infestations.[6][11]

Ivermectin was discovered in 1975 and came into medical use in 1981.[14][15] It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.[16] Ivermectin is FDA-approved as an antiparasitic agent.

Amid growing reports in the United States in recent weeks of people calling poison information hotlines over self-medicating with ivermectin as a treatment for Covid-19, a spokesperson for the TGA told Guardian Australia there had been a massive increase in people bringing the drug into Australia.


Comment: Clearly citizens in the US and Australia feel they need to take their health into their own hands, because, in this instance, the healthcare system is failing them.


"The TGA works closely with the Australian Border Force to detect potentially unlawful imports of therapeutic goods for assessment by the TGA. As a result of this work, detections of ivermectin have increased significantly, more than tenfold," a spokesperson said.

Amid the country's largest Covid outbreak still surging in New South Wales, there was a shortage of local supply of ivermectin, which is approved for use in humans for treating issues such as river blindness and threadworm, in August, the TGA said.

"An unexpected increase in consumer demand resulted in a recent shortage of Stromectol 3mg ivermectin tablets between 2 August 2021 to 20 August 2021. This shortage has been resolved."

The concern over the increased importation led to the TGA last week issuing a public statement against people using the drug for Covid-19 treatment.

"Ivermectin is a prescription medicine that is not approved in Australia (or in other OECD countries) to prevent or treat Covid-19 disease, and should not be imported for this indication," the regulator said.


Comment: Numerous countries are prescribing ivermectin for the prevention and treatment of Covid; Mexico saw hospitalizations drop 76%.


"The TGA strongly discourages self-medication and self-dosing with ivermectin for Covid-19 as it may be dangerous to your health. There is insufficient evidence to validate the use of Ivermectin in patients with Covid-19."

The National Covid-19 Clincial Evidence Taskforce this month released a one-page FAQ for people considering using ivermectin as a Covid-19 treatment, stating its strong recommendation against using the drug outside of randomised clinical trials.

"As at 20 August 2021, the taskforce has concluded that there remains significant uncertainty whether ivermectin is more effective and safer than standard care in treating patients with Covid-19," the taskforce stated.

Guardian Australia has observed people in Australian anti-vaccination groups on social media site Telegram, sharing links to online stores where people can import the drug, which doctors in Australia to obtain a prescription from, and advice on how to take the drug.

The Australian interest in ivermectin as a treatment alternative for Covid-19 has its origins from rightwing media such as Fox News and political circles in the United States.


Comment: That's just one reason why social media giants are increasingly censoring 'dissident' outlets.


The US Food and Drug Administration last week had to tell the public not to take the drug, as reports pointed to an increased call to poison hotlines from people who had taken ivermectin, with at least one hospitalisation.

"You are not a horse," the FDA said in a tweet. "You are not a cow. Seriously, y'all. Stop it."


Comment: This is supposed to reflect the position of the FDA? They don't see an issue with ketamine being used to anaesthetise both humans and horses, nor should they, because there are a variety of foods, supplements and medications that both humans and animals can use; so what point are they trying to make exactly?


The FDA warned side-effects from taking ivermectin could include "skin rash, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach pain, facial or limb swelling, neurologic adverse events (dizziness, seizures, confusion), sudden drop in blood pressure, severe skin rash potentially requiring hospitalisation, and liver injury (hepatitis).


Comment: Meanwhile the injections come with their own, much more serious, risks: Pfizer vaccine in Israel: Mortality rate 'hundreds of times greater in vaccinated young people'


"Laboratory test abnormalities include decrease in white cell count and elevated liver tests. Any use of ivermectin for the prevention or treatment of Covid-19 should be avoided."

As a consequence of the attention rightwing politicians and media pundits are giving the drug in the United States, the call for the drug to be used for Covid treatment has also been adopted in Australia by their local counterparts.

Sky News recently received a one-week ban from posting on its YouTube page for videos advocating for the use of experimental and unproven Covid-19 treatments such as ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine.


Comment: It's rather suspicious that Spain, the US, and Russia, have succcessfully used HCQ to treat coronavirus whilst, rather tellingly, France, Italy, and Belgium, banned it over 'concerns'.


Aside from former Liberal MP Craig Kelly, who was banned from Facebook for among other things, promoting ivermectin, others within parliament have also been seeking answers on why the drug has not be approved in Australia.

Liberal National Party senator Gerard Rennick and One Nation Party senator Malcolm Roberts both asked the health department in Senate estimates questions about the availability of ivermectin in Australia for Covid-19.

The department said in response no application had ever been sought by anyone for the approval of the use of ivermectin for Covid-19 treatment in Australia.

"For ivermectin to be registered ... by the TGA for the treatment of Covid-19, a sponsor must submit a comprehensive application to support the supply of the medicine," the department said.


Comment: One would think the government, which apparently has sufficient resources to roll out millions of vaccines and enforce lockdown on the entire country, could push forward the application itself?


The application would need to include a dossier of clinical studies, non-clinical/toxicology studies, and other information. The department said to date the studies published on ivermectin's use in treating Covid-19 were not compelling.

"While there are some studies published either on unreferenced websites or in second- or third-tier medical journals, the consensus view of major regulators and in top-tier international journals is that the evidence for clinical efficacy of ivermectin is not compelling at this stage."