Sioux City, IA — Some Iowans are ignoring warnings and taking a powerful medication designed for deworming cattle and horses in hopes of staving off or curing COVID-19.
Tammy Noble, a registered nurse and spokeswoman for the Iowa Poison Control Center, says there’s suddenly a lot of buzz over Ivermectin, and the Sioux City-based facility has taken calls from people who’ve ingested it on purpose and by mistake.
Before taking any drug to treat or prevent an ailment, Noble says it’s important to consult a physician first, especially before taking anything unapproved.
The poison center in Georgia reports a 700-percent increase in calls about Ivermectin in recent weeks. The drug can be used in proper doses to treat skin conditions in humans and pharmacies nationwide had reported dispensing about 36-hundred prescriptions per week. In recent days, however, Ivermectin prescriptions have jumped to 88-thousand per week.
Taking inappropriate doses of the drug can lead to seizures, coma and death, Noble says. The Iowa Poison Control Center is available around the clock at 800-222-1222.
