Ivermectin: Proven Ineffective By Trial

Ivermectin Treatment Efficacy In COVID-19 High Risk Patient (I-TECH STUDY)

The use of ivermectin in the treatment of COVID-19 has been an ongoing public debate. In Malaysia, the Institute of Clinical Research (ICR) has recently announced findings for the Ivermectin study (I-TECH)¹.

What Is The Study About?

500 hospitalised patients with Stage 2 or 3 COVID-19 were recruited in the study. This multi-centre open-label randomised controlled trial evaluated a 5-day course of ivermectin (0.4mg/kg/day) plus standard of care (IVM group), compared to standard of care (SOC group) according to Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) guidelines for COVID-19 patients¹.

The main objective of the study is to see if ivermectin administered during the first week of illness prevented deterioration to severe COVID-19 Stage 4 or 5 among hospitalised patients aged 50 years and above with at least one comorbidity.

The Safety And Potential Side Effects Of Ivermectin

The study analysis showed THREE TIMES more adverse events were reported in the group treated with Ivermectin when compared to the standard of care group¹. The most common adverse effect reported is diarrhoea. Other side effects reported include headache, dizziness and fast heart rate²’³’⁴.

Is Ivermectin Effective In The Treatment Of COVID-19?

There were no clinically significant differences found between the group treated with Ivermectin when compared to the standard of care group. The odds of complete symptoms recovery by Day 5 of enrolment between the 2 groups were very similar and not statistically significant. Based on the outcomes of the I-TECH Study, Ivermectin cannot be recommended for inclusion in current COVID-19 treatment guidelines as Ivermectin does not reduce risk of severe illness from COVID-19.

Ivermectin Does Not Reduce Death Rate

There was a trend of 28-days mortality reduction by the group treated with Ivermectin vs standard of care. However the I-TECH study cannot confirm whether the administration of Ivermectin leads to fewer deaths at 28 days due to the small number of deaths (13 cases out of 490 subjects) reported in the study – this provided limited evaluation of the result. In the future, studies with more patients can be conducted in order to clarify whether Ivermectin is able to reduce mortality rate at 28 days.

If Not Ivermectin Then What?

Molnupiravir under the trade name LAGEVRIO by Mercks recently has been approved in the United Kingdom as a first oral antiviral medicine for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults who have at least one risk factor for developing severe illness⁵. Other antiviral medication like Remdisivir (Veklury) was the first medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of COVID-19⁶. Immune-based therapy called convalescent plasma has granted emergency use authorization for the treatment of COVID-19. Convalescent plasma is blood donated by people who’ve recovered from COVID-19. Convalescent plasma with high antibodies may be used to treat some hospitalized people ill with COVID-19 who are either early in their illness or who have weakened immune systems⁷.

Take Home Message : Vaccinations Are The Best Defense

Ivermectin has not been shown safe and effective in treating COVID-19, thus Ivermectin is not approved by MOH for the use in treatment and prevention of COVID-19. Despite all the inconclusive efficacy findings and negative safety findings about Ivermectin, there are advocates for this drug making claims that have not been clinically proven. With that being said, vaccination should be the first line of defense as COVID-19 vaccinations are clinically proven efficacy and have a good safety profile.

Lastly, for any further clarification, do speak to your healthcare provider or do approach or contact the pharmacist at any CARiNG Pharmacy stores or message us on our Facebook page.