Mississippi hospital patient ingested livestock medication believed by some to treat COVID
Mississippi health officials have confirmed a patient in the state’s medical system is being treated for ivermectin toxicity, which results from exposure to a potentially toxic medication meant in large doses to remedy heart worms in livestock. Ivermectin has also been promoted as a COVID remedy by highly dubious sources and conspiracy nuts.
Mississippi Free Press, which reported the story, could not confirm exactly when and where the patient came into contact with the drug.
FDA urges COVID patients to stop self-medicating with dangerous anti-parasite drug for horses
“I think some people are trying to use it as a preventative, which I think is really kind of crazy,” Mississippi State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs reportedly said during a Zoom discussion. “So please don’t do that.”
Health department Communications Director Liz Sharlot, who was also part of that discussion was also baffled by why people would reject science and trust misinformation leading them to illogical alternative remedies.
“You know, for the life of me, I don’t get it,” Sharlot said. “You have a vaccine that’s safe and effective. And yet people, as opposed to getting the vaccine, want to go after these kinds of things.”
Dr. Dobbs noted that medications like ivermectin are often prescribed for horses and cows, whicht have very different body types than people.
“You wouldn’t get your chemotherapy at a feed store,” he said.
Among those who have promoted Ivermectin for use in humans is Dr. Stella Immanuel, who has also falsely claimed scientists are experimenting with alien DNA, dreamworld demons are responsible for cysts and infertility, and masks are unnecessary because hydroxychloroquine cures COVID. Former President Donald Trump, who has retweeted Immanuel’s advice, called her “very impressive” noting that when he saw her on television “she was on air along with many other doctors.”
The FDA states on its website that “Ivermectin is not an antiviral.” The administration further warns that medication for animals is often more concentrated that remedies for humans, who tend to weigh a lot less.
Mississippi, a state familiar with health issues, has been hit hard by the COVID pandemic with no immediate end in sight. The Magnolia State’s ICU beds are nearly full as its hospitals struggle to meet demand in a place where vaccination rates are among the lowest in the nation.
Dr. Jason Valentine, a Mobile, Ala., doctor whose practice sits on the Mississippi border, sent notice to his patients this week that he would no longer treat people who don’t bother to get vaccinated.
“I told them covid is a miserable way to die and I can’t watch them die like that,” he said.
Dr. Catherine O’Neal of LSU Health told Louisiana station WAFB that she’s used properly administered Ivermectin to treat rare parasites in patients, but testing has showed the drug doesn’t work for COVID and it’s time for people to stop believing otherwise.
“We have to let it go,” she said.
