Dozens of Lawsuits Seek to Make Hospitals Give Ivermectin to COVID-19 Patients

Lawsuits seeking to force hospitals to administer ivermectin to COVID-19 patients show no signs of slowing in recent weeks — despite repeated warnings by regulators against such use.

The FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have cautioned that the drug, which is commonly used to de-worm animals and is also sometimes used to treat intestinal parasites in humans, lacks evidence of clinical effectiveness as a COVID-19 treatment and off-label human use could lead to dangerous side effects, including death.

The complaints have put judges in the unenviable position of having to decide whether doctors must dispense a treatment off-label. In one recent high-profile case in Ohio, a judge ruled that a Cincinnati hospital must administer the drug to a man afflicted with COVID-19 complications. But another Ohio judge reversed that decision just days later (DID, Sept. 1).

In late August, the CDC raised the alarm over a 24-fold increase in U.S. ivermectin prescriptions from pre-pandemic levels, and cited reports of people ingesting ivermectin-containing products meant for animals.

President Donald Trump endorsed the use of the anti-parisitic drug against the coronavirus last year and his call was taken up by others on the right. The conservative endorsements seem to have had an effect. At least two dozen lawsuits have reportedly been filed in the U.S., many in the past few weeks, all of which attempt to force hospitals to administer the treatment.

Merck, which produces ivermectin for human use, is developing an alternative oral antiviral product with a better chance of regulatory clearance. The company has filed for emergency authorization of molnupiravir, its COVID-19 oral antiviral co-developed with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics. A review by the FDA’s vaccines advisory committee has been set for Nov. 30 (DID, Oct. 18). ― Jason Scott