U.S. Insurers Wasted Millions on Ivermectin for Covid-19, Study Finds

Gizmodo ^ | 1/14/22 | Ed Cara

[Libloather]

Researchers analyzing insurance claims data estimate that U.S. insurers have paid tens of millions of dollars for ivermectin as a covid-19 treatment, despite little good evidence that ivermectin does anything to treat or prevent the viral illness. During a single week in August 2021, private and Medicare insurance plans forked over about $2.5 million for covid-related prescriptions of ivermectin, according to the new study, published Thursday in JAMA.

Ivermectin is a cheap and effective antiparasitic that’s been in wide use for around 40 years. At the start of the pandemic, it was one of many existing drugs to receive a second look as a possible antiviral treatment for covid-19, based on early lab results. During the past two years, however, the field of covid-related research on ivermectin has been riddled with poor quality data and allegations of widespread fraud. There are still important ongoing studies of ivermectin for covid-19, but the largest and likely most rigorous trials to date have found no clear benefit for the drug in either treating or preventing covid-19.

This lack of solid evidence hasn’t stopped ivermectin from being adopted as the covid treatment of choice by some people and doctors. These devotees tend to be politically right-wing and espouse unsupported claims about the dangers of vaccines. They’re also, strangely enough, often dismissive about the pandemic, downplaying its harms even as they stock up on drugs like ivermectin to seemingly stay safe.

[AndyTheBear]

Researchers analyzing insurance claims data estimate that U.S. insurers have paid tens of millions of dollars for ivermectin as a covid-19 treatment, despite little good evidence that ivermectin does anything to treat or prevent the viral illnes

Ok so the "research" ASSUMED it doesn't work well and then concluded that any money spent on it was wasted! Brilliant that. Wow what amazing integrity! Its not just like a cheap politicized hit piece type of "science" but REAL hard hitting dig into the details science that does the hard work of assuming what is politically correct to assume...../s