The Truth About Ivermectin And Other Stories
Author: Dr David Shaw, a skin and cosmetic GP at Kingscliff Health medical and allied health centre in Kingscliff, NSW.
“The truth is out there” we’re told by Mulder of the X-Files. What he neglected to mention is that it’s usually boring. Yep, whilst the X-files ‘truth’ was a compelling tale of lies, cover ups and deep state conspiracies, everyday facts tend towards the mundane and downright boring.
So it is with ivermectin. An anti-parasitic drug that most have not heard of until now (unless you were unlucky enough to have a nasty case of worms, African River blindness or scabies) has been suddenly propelled into the international spotlight of controversy. We are being told that because it’s so cheap, greedy drug companies are suppressing the fact that it is dynamite on Covid virus and could fix us all.
Sounds like the sort of dastardly thing these no-good types would do right?
Except that the actual manufacturer of this drug, (Merck pharmaceuticals who has indeed been known to, shall we say, push the limits of ethics) would stand to make a killing by selling it worldwide for Covid prevention and treatment. It’s in their financial interest to promote it as a legitimate drug. However they have publicly stated it should not be used to prevent or treat covid outside of a drug trial.
The gold standard for research collation and analysis is the Cochrane collaboration. In July 2021 they released a review of all the available evidence for ivermectin and Covid. Their conclusion – the evidence does not support the use for Covid at this time. New trials are in the pipieline and may in time prove its worth. But certainly not yet.
How boring, right?
Interestingly, the doses suggested by the social media “experts” are potentially toxic and indeed many people have been poisoned by taking it.
Of course the social media versions of the story sound compelling and convincing. But we need to ask the question, would it still be convincing to someone who has professional knowledge about the topic? Do you really know enough to know what you don’t know? As a medical doctor, I’m not an expert on medical research, but I know enough to know what I don’t know and where (or to whom) to look for the best available answers. Hot tip – its not on social media!
Dr David Shaw is a highly experienced skin and cosmetic GP with areas of interest in dermatology, skin cancer checks, skin cancer surgery, and cosmetic injectables. Book an appointment online with Dr David Shaw or call us on 02 6670 1400.
* The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and not intended to be a substitute for professional advice. You must consult your doctor before acting on the information in this article, especially if you have concerns regarding health related issues for yourself and your family.
