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Malaysian researchers found that treatment with the anti-parasite drug ivermectin did not prevent patients with COVID-19 from becoming severely ill in a randomized clinical trial published in the JAMA Internal Medicine journal on Friday. The researchers said their findings do not support the use of ivermectin for patients with COVID-19. The study enrolled 490 patients with mild to moderate illness at 20 hospitals and a COVID-19 quarantine center in Malaysia. Everyone received standard care; half the group also received ivermectin. Severe disease developed in 21.6% of the patients given ivermectin and in 17.3% of those who received only standard care,...

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has a message for anyone considering taking ivermectin to treat or prevent COVID-19: Don’t. The FDA said ivermectin is not an antiviral drug, meaning it isn’t used for treating viruses. It’s only approved for use in humans to combat certain internal conditions caused by parasitic worms and external parasites like headlice. Certain forms of ivermectin are given to animals to prevent heartworm disease and other parasites. Even so, some people have experimented with the version of the drug intended for horses. They ended up being hospitalized. "It’s important to note that these products are...