FDA notes that it has not said ivermectin is safe or effective for COVID-19 prevention or treatment

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently noted on social media that the agency has not declared that ivermectin is safe or effective for treatment or prevention of COVID-19.

"We've seen lots of chatter about ivermectin in the last week. Some of what you're seeing in videos and social media posts isn't true," the FDA wrote. "Although FDA has approved ivermectin for certain uses in humans and animals, it has not authorized or approved ivermectin for use in preventing or treating COVID-19, nor has the agency stated that it is safe or effective for that use," the FDA continued.

"Health care professionals generally may choose to prescribe an approved human drug for an unapproved use when they judge that the unapproved use is medically appropriate for an individual patient," another post read. "As always, talk to your health care provider about available COVID-19 vaccines and treatment options. Based on your health history, your provider can help determine the best option for you," another post stated.

There has been debate over whether ivermectin should be used to tackle COVID-19.

The COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel recommends against using the drug to treat COVID-19, according to covid19treatmentguidelines.nih.gov. "Trials have failed to find a clinical benefit from the use of ivermectin for the treatment of COVID-19 in outpatients," the site claims.

But the Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance suggests using ivermectin to address COVID-19. "A growing evidence base of dozens of studies around the world demonstrates ivermectin's unique and highly potent ability to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication and aid in recovery from COVID-19. Based on this evidence, and on first-hand clinical observations, the FLCCC recommends its use, as part of a combination therapy, in all stages of COVID-19," the group states.

A note at the bottom of the FLCCC's website notes that "our protocol is not medical advice – and in no way should anyone infer that we, even though we are physicians, or anyone appearing in any content on this website are practicing medicine, it is for educational purposes only."

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