New Study Links Ivermectin to ‘Large Reductions’ In COVID-19 Deaths

June 21, 2021

A recent pre-print review based on peer-reviewed studies has found that using antiparasitic drug ivermectin could lead to “large reductions” in COVID-19 deaths and its use could have a “significant impact” on the pandemic globally.

For the study (pdf), published on June 17 in the American Journal of Therapeutics, a group of scientists reviewed the clinical trial use of ivermectin, which has antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties, in 24 randomized controlled trials involving just over 3,400 participants. The researchers sought to assess the efficacy of ivermectin in reducing infection or mortality in people with COVID-19 or at high risk of getting it.

Using multiple methods of sequential analysis, the researchers concluded with a moderate level of confidence that the drug reduced the risk of death in COVID-19 patients by an average of 62 percent, at a 95 percent confidence interval of 0.19-0.79, in a sample of 2438 patients.

Among hospitalized COVID-19 patients, the risk of death was found to be 2.3 percent among those treated with the drug, compared to 7.8 percent for those who were not, according to the review.

“Moderate-certainty evidence finds that large reductions in COVID-19 deaths are possible using ivermectin. Using ivermectin early in the clinical course may reduce numbers progressing to severe disease,” the authors wrote.

A health worker shows a box containing a bottle of Ivermectin as part of a study of the Center for Pediatric Infectious Diseases Studies, in Cali, Colombia, on July 21, 2020. (Luis Robayo/AFP via Getty Images)

Since the start of the pandemic, both observational and randomized studies have evaluated ivermectin as a treatment for, and as prevention against, COVID-19 infection.

“A review by the Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance summarized findings from 27 studies on the effects of ivermectin for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 infection, concluding that ivermectin ‘demonstrates a strong signal of therapeutic efficacy’ against COVID-19” the researchers wrote, referring to one recent review, which was based on data from both peer-reviewed studies and preprint manuscripts.

They cited another recent review that concluded that ivermectin reduced deaths by as much as 75 percent, while noting that neither the National Institutes of Health in the United States nor the World Health Organization (WHO) have recommended the use of ivermectin outside clinical trials for use in the fight against COVID-19.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in a note on “Why You Should Not Use Ivermectin to Treat or Prevent COVID-19,” warns that it has received “multiple reports of patients who have required medical support and been hospitalized after self-medicating with ivermectin intended for horses.”

“Using any treatment for COVID-19 that’s not approved or authorized by the FDA, unless part of a clinical trial, can cause serious harm,” the FDA said in the note, adding that it has not reviewed data to support the use of ivermectin in COVID-19 patients.

The WHO said in March that “the current evidence on the use of ivermectin to treat COVID-19 patients is inconclusive” and that, until more data becomes available, the agency recommends that “the drug only be used within clinical trials.”

The authors of the ivermectin efficacy study argued, however, that the drug has an “established safety profile through decades of use” and “could play a critical role in suppressing or even ending the SARS-CoV2 pandemic.”

“The apparent safety and low cost suggest that ivermectin is likely to have a significant impact on the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic globally,” they argued in the study abstract.

The authors noted in their publication that all the studies on which they based their conclusions have been peer-reviewed.

https://m.theepochtimes.com/new-study-links-ivermectin-to-large-reductions-in-covid-19-deaths_3867278.html

British Airways Says Deaths of 4 Pilots Not Linked

June 21, 2021

British Airways has confirmed that four of its pilots recently died but has asserted their deaths are not connected, shooting down rumors that the airline is in “crisis talks” with the United Kingdom government.

Viral social media posts have been sharing audio recordings that are allegedly of a man who spoke to a friend who is a pilot at British Airways, conveying that the friend shared about several healthy pilots dying after getting a COVID-19 vaccine.

The deaths spurred talks with the government about cutting off flying privileges for vaccinated pilots, one recording claimed.

British Airways confirmed the deaths to The Epoch Times but said they did not lead to talks with the government.

“Sadly four members of our pilot community passed away recently. Our thoughts are with their family and friends. However, there is no truth whatsoever in the claims on social media speculating that the four deaths are linked,” the company said in an email.

British Airways declined to say how many, if any, of the pilots received a COVID-19 vaccine before dying.

British Airways told Reuters that a photograph of four condolence books laid out after the deaths was authentic. The picture was shared on Twitter, with some users suggesting that the odds of four pilots dying within a short period of time was suspicious.

Dr. Sarah Branch, director of vigilance and risk management of medicines at the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, told The Epoch Times via email that the agency has “not been made aware of deaths of BA pilots after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine and have not had discussions with BA or other airlines about preventing pilots from flying after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.”

“There are currently no restrictions on aviation or other industries and activities post vaccination. Our advice remains that the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks in the majority of people. It is still vitally important that people come forward for their vaccination and for their second dose when invited to do so,” she added.

Anyone who believes they experienced a side effect linked with their COVID-19 vaccine is being asked to report it to the UK’s “yellow card” reporting website.

https://m.theepochtimes.com/british-airways-says-deaths-of-4-pilots-not-linked_3867235.html