Nobel Prize for Ivermectin and Approval to Treat COVID-19

Is the drug Ivermectin effective in preventing the spread of COVID-19? Can it reduce the time you are sick? A couple of years ago, this was important. Some studies said it did help and others did not support those claims.

Ivermectin Today World View

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/P-9-2023-003029_EN.html#def2. More studies have been done. The use, and approval of Ivermectin to treat COVID-19 has increased to nearly two dozen countries. Ivermectin has a good track record for safety and efficacy. However, before the pandemic, it was never used to treat COVID-19 or similar diseases. It has been used ‘off label’ during the pandemic to treat SARS-CoV-2 patients with mixed results.

2015 Nobel Prize for Ivermectin

https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/2015/press-release/. The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institute awarded the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology (Medicine) jointly to William C. Campbell and Satoshi Omura for their work with the naturally occurring Avermectin. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22039784/.

Ivermectin is synthesized from Avermectin and has two extra hydrogen molecules. The frequency and prevalence of River Blindness and Lymphatic Filariasis (and other parasitic diseases) have decreased remarkably due to the use of Ivermectin.

2015 was a few years before the pandemic. However, over 250 million people use Ivermectin annually. It is safe and effective. Yet, when the world tried to find existing drugs or create new ones to fight the SARS-CoV-2 virus, some drugs showed efficacy in treating symptoms while others did not.

Hydroxychloroquine an Option?

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/hydroxychloroquine-treatment-covid-19/art-20555331#:~:text=Accessed%20Sept.,U.S.%20Food%20and%20Drug%20Administration. Hydroxychloroquine was initially approved on an Emergency Use Authorization. Yet, it was tested on the SARS virus cell line and not humans. Further testing showed that hydroxychloroquine led to serious heart issues in some people and did not effectively prevent or treat COVID-19.

Ivermectin

https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL1N3AB1PS/. Ivermectin is still not FDA-approved in the United States to treat COVID-19. The FDA will not stop doctors from using it to treat patients with COVID-19.

Why NOT?

https://c19ivm.org/. Ivermectin is used by millions of people annually. It is a safe option. As studies continued around the world, it became evident that Ivermectin does inhibit the SARS-CoV-1 virus from replicating (stopping it from spreading to others), and it additionally helps those with the virus recover more quickly.

By late 2023, 237 Ivermectin COVID-19 studies have been peer-reviewed 184 times. Ninety-nine of these studies compared treatment and control groups to assess overall efficacy and safety. Ivermectin is now approved and authorized in 22 countries and by 39 non-governmental medical organizations worldwide, but not in the United States.

COVID-19 Vaccines

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9968619/#:~:text=Adjusted%20VE%20against%20Delta%20reached,days%20after%20the%20second%20doseI do not consider the mRNA vaccine to be a true vaccine because, to me, vaccines protect you for a reasonable time – years! It became apparent that the vaccine did not prevent those vaccinated from becoming infected or hospitalized. Thrombosis, stroke, myocarditis, myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolism, arrhythmia, and other health issues, including death) have been associated with the mRNA vaccines. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10022421/

All medical treatments (prescription medicines, vaccines, etc.) have risks. The mRNA vaccines have more severe side effects and deaths than all the other vaccines together. Did it provide a path of treatment during the pandemic? Yes, it did, but when the vaccine's efficacy started to wane after a few months, the powers that be did not make the vaccine users aware of it. Instead, newer vaccines and booster shots were offered to counter the declining efficacy over time. I believe there will be many future health concerns for those vaccine/booster shot users.

India

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/india/. India had a remarkable success story in the spring and summer of 2021 using Ivermectin. Getting information about it in the United States media wasn't easy. Israeli media covered it very well. Worldwide statistics show the dramatic effect of ivermectin treatment in just a few weeks.

Conclusion

While the decisions made during the pandemic were challenging and often required quick action, it is essential to continue evaluating the effectiveness and safety of treatments and vaccines. The availability of Ivermectin as a treatment option, even if not universally approved, highlights the importance of ongoing research and the need for informed choices in healthcare.

Regardless, decisions were made. Experimental vaccines were given an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) because of the public health emergency. There were no alternatives available. Clinical trials were truncated to get the vaccines to the public. Restriction of approved drugs was enforced. Informed consent was required, but that seems a bit murky today, especially since the world has approved Ivermectin to treat the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the United States has not.

My wife and I personally chose not to receive vaccines or boosters, and we have shared our reasons in my previous COVID-19 articles (over 300 written during the pandemic). We opted for monoclonal antibodies, which worked well for us during the Delta variant's outbreak. A year later, the Omicron variant posed a temporary challenge, but we recovered without serious issues.

While stocking Ivermectin in your medicine cabinet may not be necessary at this point, it's crucial to recognize that our immune systems have adapted, and the virus seems to be receding. Ultimately, informed decisions and a commitment to ongoing research will help us navigate these challenging times. Stay well, and let's continue to prioritize public health and safety.

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Live Long & Enjoy Life! – Red O’Laughlin – RedOLaughlin.com