The antiparasitic drug ivermectin does not significantly reduce the time required to recover from Covid. A large survey posted online on Sunday..that is The largest of several clinical trials showing that drugs that have been popular as alternative therapies since the early pandemics are not effective against the virus.
In a new study conducted by researchers at Duke University and Vanderbilt University, more than 1,500 people were tested at Covid, about half receiving medication and others receiving placebo. This study has not yet been published in a scientific journal.
“Given these results, ivermectin seems to have no role other than setting up clinical trials, especially given the other available options that have been shown to reduce hospitalization and mortality,” said Duke Clinical Institute Managing Director. The person who led the trial of Dr. Adrian Hernandez, a board member, said in a statement on Sunday night.
In 2020, laboratory experiments on cells suggested that ivermectin may block the coronavirus. The results have caused widespread excitement because ivermectin is a cheap drug that has been safely used by people for decades against parasitic infections.
Despite the lack of results from large randomized clinical trials, the drug was very popular. When those studies were finally over, they proved disappointing. March, Researcher published research 679 people diagnosed with Covid received ivermectin. The drug did not significantly reduce the risk of going to the hospital because of Covid compared to those who took placebo.
The new study of ivermectin was part of a larger effort organized by the National Institutes of Health to identify existing medicines that may help treat Covid. COVID-19 Known as Intervention and Acceleration of Vaccines-6, or ACTIV-6 In short, the program also tests antidepressants and anti-asthma drugs.
Dr. Hernandez and his colleagues gave ivermectin to 877 volunteers diagnosed with Covid, and the other 774 received a placebo. The researchers then observed how their case progressed.
People taking ivermectin felt sick for an average of 10.96 days, while those taking placebo took 11.45 days. This is a difference of about 12 hours. There was no statistically significant difference in the risks faced by each group going to the hospital. During the study, the death of one volunteer who received ivermectin was observed.
Almost half of the volunteers were vaccinated, the researchers said. Their shots may reduce the total number of serious Covid cases and make it difficult to find profits.
Despite the negative results, the researchers did not completely rule out the possibility that ivermectin could help treat Covid. Of the 90 people who were already suffering from severe Covid when they entered the trial, those who tried ivermectin seemed to perform better than those who tried placebo. However, due to the small number, it was not possible to draw firm statistical conclusions about the benefits of ivermectin. The effect may have been a coincidence.
To further investigate the results, researchers will continue to test ivermectin at higher doses. The new volunteer set receives 50% more medicine at each dose for 6 days instead of 3 times.
“Given a good safety profile for ivermectin and the continued public interest, the ACTIV-6 team will determine if there is a sufficient difference to be considered for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19. To continue this high-dose study, “Dr. Susanna Nagy, an infectious disease expert at Duke University, said in a statement.
