Mexico City Health Ministry Stands By Ivermectin Use After “Colonialist & Authoritarian” Censorship Of New Study
A battle over the distribution of ivermectin by the Mexican government continues as a paper describing the apparent benefits of the program has been removed from a popular online science database.
In late January, Reuters released a “Fact Check” titled “Mexico no longer including ivermectin in home COVID-19 care kits, contrary to claims on social media”, disputing online claims stating the government of Mexico City was issuing COVID-19 kits which included doses of ivermectin, the controversial anti-parasitic drug. Reuters notes that some social media users have shared an image showing a COVID-19 care kit delivered by the Mexican government. The kit contains ivermectin.
The Director of Medical Benefits at the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) told Reuters as of January 4, 2022, the IMSS “stopped including ivermectin in their home COVID-19 care kits for ambulatory patients”. Of course, this means prior to January 2022, the IMSS distributed ivermectin throughout 2021.
In fact, according to the Directorate, between December 21, 2020 and December 30, 2021, IMSS distributed 465,345 of kits for home treatment for COVID-19 patients that contained ivermectin. Reuters notes that “an IMSS activity report explains (see page 155 here) that these kits were delivered to non-severe patients. It included ivermectin, aspirin, paracetamol, azithromycin as well as face-masks and an oximeter”. As of January 4, 2022, the kits only contain paracetamol, masks, an oximeter, and a flyer with guidance.
“Ivermectin was incorporated into the treatment kits as a result of the review of the most important research studies that had been published up to that time, a review that was completed on January 9, 2021, containing evidence from the medical-scientific literature on the world,” the directorate told Reuters.
The Misinformation Battle
In recent weeks, news of the government program has been met with criticism and cries of “spreading misinformation”. Of course, the misinformation talk stems from state health authorities long ago declaring that anyone treating COVID-19 with anything other than shots — especially ivermectin — has fallen prey to anti-science misinformation.
For example, Animal Politico reported that the Mexico City government had spent 29,290,000 pesos (around 1.4 million USD) for the kits containing ivermectin. The outlet is quick to note that most of the world’s governments or health agencies consider ivermectin to be useless against COVID-19.
In response to the accusations of spreading misinformation, the Digital Agency for Public Innovation (ADIP), the local Ministry of Health (Sedesa), and the IMSS reported that they had carried out a “quasi-experimental” analysis showing that those who received ivermectin were 68% less likely to develop symptoms requiring hospitalization. The analysis — “Ivermectin and the odds of hospitalization by Covid-19: evidence from a quasi-experimental analysis based on a public intervention in Mexico City” — is at the heart of this whirlwind of controversy.
https://www.naturalblaze.com/2022/02/mexico-city-health-ministry-stands-by-ivermectin-use-after-colonialist-authoritarian-censorship-of-new-study.html