“You are not a horse. You are not a cow. Seriously, y’all. Stop it.” This statement appeared on the official Twitter account of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently, along with a consumer update warning people away from Ivermectin when trying to treat or prevent COVID-19.
The FDA issued the warning, following the notice issued by the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) against “self-medicating with ivermectin intended for horses.”
The FDA update included detailed information about Ivermectin and its use and the difference between the Ivermectin for animals and humans. They also warned that “Ivermectin preparations for animals are very different from those approved for humans” and that they should buy FDA-approved human Ivermectin prescriptions from legitimate sources.
“These animal drugs are often highly concentrated because they are used for large animals like horses and cows, which can weigh a lot more than a human,” the FDA update reads. “Such high doses can be highly toxic in humans.”
In a separate statement issued at a COVID-19 briefing Wednesday, Mississippi Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs warned against the danger of acquiring and ingesting Ivermectin from veterinary supply stores.
“I certainly would strongly recommend people not take any medicine from a feed store or a veterinary source,” he said.
According to reports, the Mississippi state poison control center has seen a 70% increase in calls related to patients who ingested veterinary Ivermectin – an anti-parasite drug commonly used for livestock.
“There’s a lot of misinformation around, and you may have heard that it’s okay to take large doses of Ivermectin. That is wrong,” the FDA warned.
Concerning using Ivermectin to prevent COVID-19, the US FDA urged everyone to ensure their safety by wearing masks, staying at least 6 feet from others, washing hands frequently, and avoiding crowds.
