Today's Today reported that in a notice on its official social media account Twitter, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned: "You are not a horse. You are not a cow. That's serious, guys. Stop."
Ivermectin is not an effective anti-viral drug and is often used to treat or prevent parasites in animals.
"These veterinary drugs are often high in concentration because they are used in animals much larger than humans such as horses and cows. Such a high altitude can be toxic to humans," FDA said.
The FDA warns that patients who overdose ivermectin can experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, low blood pressure, allergic reactions, dizziness, balance problems, seizures, coma and even death.
The agency stated that ivermectin tablets have been approved by the FDA for use in treating some people with parasitic worm-related diseases as well as topical topical formulas used to kill louse and skin conditions such as Rosacea, unlike drugs used in animals. Ivermectin in the form of tablets and skin-based formulae for people with a "very specific dosage" is significantly smaller than the dosage for animals.
Moreover, "many inactive ingredients found in animal products are not rated for human use" - FDA warned.
The FDA stressed that no ivermectin is approved by the agency for use in the treatment or prevention of COVID-19 in humans. Using an unapproved drug can be very dangerous, and the same is true for ivermectin.
The agency said it was forced to issue a warning after "many misconceptions" surrounding ivermectin appeared, causing many patients to arbitrarily use ivermectin to treat COVID-19 and have to be hospitalized.
Meanwhile, effective ways to limit the spread of COVID-19 are still to wear masks, keep a minimum distance of 1.8m from people who do not live with you, wash your hands regularly and stay away from crowds. COVID-19 vaccination is also one of the recommended measures.
COVID-19 has claimed the lives of more than 630,000 people in the US since the pandemic began in early 2020. Since then, the US has seen more than 37.6 million cases, according to NBC News statistics.
