Ivermectin: What You Should Know about the History & Safety of Japan’s Amazing Discovery
Did you know that avermectin, the substance from which ivermectin is derived, was discovered in Japan in the 1970s? Did you also know that over 3.8 billion doses of ivermectin for humans have been prescribed worldwide?!
Dr. Valerie Donaldson, of the Regenerative Medicine Center, has an excellent short article on the history and safety record of ivermectin. Aside, from the common safety considerations associated with all pharmaceuticals, it seems to me that ivermectin appears amazingly safe. I wonder why the FDA and CDC continue to denigrate ivermectin?
History of Ivermectin and Harmful Effects continued
Ivermectin was discovered in 1970’s from soil samples near a golf course southeast coast of Honshu Japan by Omura, a Japanese microbiologist, and then sent to his collaborator William Campbell at Merck Research Labs in New Jersey. This site remains the only place in the world to find the raw substance avermectin from which Ivermectin is made. It was first used in veterinary medicine in 1981 for worms and parasites. Ivermectin was approved for human use in 1987.**
- “The impact of (Ivermectin) decreasing the burden of devastating worms and parasites is immeasurable.
- Deservedly Omura and Campbell won the Nobel prize of physiology and medicine in 2015 for their work with Ivermectin.
- It has also proved to be astonishingly safe for humans.
- This is because the drug acts by binding to special channels on the cell membrane (called glutamate-gated ion channels) that play a fundamental role in nematodes and insects.
- In mammals, however, the drug has no effect since the neurons expressing these channels are protected by the blood brain barrier.
- In addition to its high safety profile, no convincing evidence of drug resistance has been found to date among Onchocerca worms, despite 30 years of continued use and billions of doses administered.
- Because of its impact, safety and versatility, ivermectin has earned the title of “wonder drug”among public health specialists.”*
This opinion article was written in 2019 for Barcelona Institute for Global Health. Collaborative information is found in the 2011 fully documented article, ‘Ivermectin, the “Wonder Drug” from Japan: the human use perspective’.**
To date, over 3.8 billion doses of Ivermectin have been given.
Veterinary Ivermectin vs Human Ivermectin
Most of the CDC and FDA warnings refer to Veterinary Ivermectin use and overdose. Ivermectin is Ivermectin in its pure pharmaceutical form. However, veterinary products labeled Ivermectin are often combined with other anti-parasitic medication, as well as fillers that may not be digested the same in humans as in animals. Hence, it is recommended you do not take over the counter veterinary ‘Ivermectin’ as its safety in humans has not been determined.
Warning from FDA concerning Ivermectin
On 3-5-21, reposted 9-3-21, the FDA posted an article ‘Why You Should Not Use Ivermectin to Treat or Prevent Covid-19’.*** In this article the FDA states,
- “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.
- Even the levels of ivermectin for approved uses can interact with other medications, like blood-thinners.
- You can also overdose on ivermectin, which can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, hypotension (low blood pressure), allergic reactions (itching and hives), dizziness, ataxia (problems with balance), seizures, coma and even death.**
The FDA article is written without references.
Where is the research data supporting or refuting statements made by the CDC and FDA concerning the dangers of using Ivermectin?
“You May have heard it is Ok to take Large Doses of Ivermectin. That is Wrong.”
- To take an overdose of any medication, including Ivermectin, is not appropriate and may lead to deleterious effects. It should not be done. This is common knowledge.
“Ivermectin for Approved Uses Can interact with Other Medications, like ‘blood-thinners”
- Searching interactions of blood-thinners and Ivermectin, no research was found stating Ivermectin interacted with blood thinners.
- There was only one case history in 2018 of a hematoma under the tongue of a patient after a normal dose of Ivermectin and Warfarin were taken together. No permanent harm was sustained.****
- No interactions have been found with Eliquis or Aspirin.*****
- A 2008 paper, ‘The Pharmacokinetics and Interactions of Ivermectin in Humans,-a mini-review’, stated “Ivermectin has minimal effect on coagulation and concern about mass treatment for this reason appears to be unjustified.’.******
- Merck Drug Interactions: “Post-marketing reports of increased INR (clotting) have rarely been reported when Ivermectin was co-administered with warfarin.” No mention was made of interactions with any other blood thinners.*******
Hence, the FDA’s statement ‘Ivermectin can interact with other medications, such as blood-thinners’ was based on one case out of over 3.8 billion doses of Ivermectin given.
Next week, research will be presented on overdose reactions from Ivermectin “causing seizures and coma, and death”……Merck does not list death as one of its adverse causes of overdose. Why? How much Ivermectin do you have to ingest to overdose on it? Does it cause seizures and coma? I invite you to do your own research.