The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has received several reports of patients who have been hospitalized after they used a animal dewormer to treat or prevent COVID-19, NBC News reports.
“You are not a horse. You are not a cow. Seriously, y’all. Stop it,” the FDA said in a tweet, which also had an article detailing the dangers that the drug poses to humans.
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Ivermectin, a drug used to treat or prevent parasites in animals, has not been approved by the FDA for either treating or preventing COVID-19. It’s also not an anti-viral drug.
While the FDA has approved ivermectin tablets intended to treat humans with certain conditions caused by parasitic worms, these tablets differ from the drug that is used to treat animals.
You are not a horse. You are not a cow. Seriously, y'all. Stop it. https://t.co/TWb75xYEY4
— U.S. FDA (@US_FDA) August 21, 2021
According to the FDA, ivermectin overdoes can lead to several symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, low blood pressure, allergic reactions, dizziness, problems with balance, seizures, coma and even death.
The agency is now urging people to stop taking the horse deworming trug to treat COVID-19 after a lot of misinformation was spread regarding it.
“You may have heard that it’s okay to take large doses of ivermectin. That is wrong,” the agency said in a consumer update. “Meanwhile, effective ways to limit the spread of COVID-19 continue to be to wear your mask, stay at least 6 feet from others who don’t live with you, wash hands frequently, and avoid crowds.”
