Ibermectin, a hope

2020/12/15 Roa Zubia, Guillermo - Elhuyar Zientzia

• COVID-19
• Osasuna

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But when we look at a place, we lose sight of others. COVID-19 is a disease caused by a coronary system called SARS-CoV-2. We know that against viruses, in addition to vaccines, there are other medicines, antiviral drugs. The names of Remdesivir and Chloroquine have been known during these months. And lately in the media we heard the drug Molnupiravir. As many times, it seems a very appropriate drug. It has been tested in ferrets, but who knows if it is effective in humans.

When a new drug comes out against any disease, it must pass many controls and can take a long time to market. But there is another option: to analyze a drug already approved to see if it has effects on covid-19. This is approximately the case of ibermectin. It is a drug against some parasites (such as infections of some worms) that is normally used for the treatment of animals. However, in some cases people with ibermectin have also been treated. For in the tests being conducted it seems that it also works in humans for the case of covid-19. Some news asks whether ibermectin can be the prophylaxis of covid-19. However, it should be noted that it has side effects in some patients. As with most medications, it is not a miracle.

It must be said clearly that at this time there is no international health agency that has accepted the use of ibermectin in the world. What is the reason? Well there is the question.

In fact, ibermectin is a drug extracted from a bacterium, a mixture of two very similar molecules in certain proportions. And it is a cheap and well-known drug for a long time.

In South America there are numerous studies with ibermectin, Argentina and Mexico. In Mexico there is a curious example: The distribution of Ibermectin in the State of Chiapas began in July and since then the number of deaths by covid-19 has been very reduced. Sure, I'm no one to say if that low mortality rate is a consequence of the drug.

The supporters of ibermectin affirm that all the tests carried out have given good results. It seems to prevent virus replication and reduce the viral load of patients. They are equally right. The contraries affirm that all necessary tests have not been performed and that the drug has not yet been shown to be effective and safe. They too are right. It is not easy. Hopeful yes, but who knows.

In the United States the use of ibermectin has long been ruled out for covid-19, and yet during these days its use in the Senate is being discussed.

Ibermectin is also being investigated in Navarre, in collaboration with the ISGlobal Institute of Barcelona. They have published a preprint with good results. Here too, let us be prudent. It is a preprint, which means that the scientific community has not yet studied and prosecuted research (what is known as peer assessment has not yet been done). Therefore, they are provisional results. Illusionists, but we still have to wait.

There are those who say that ibermectin is a cheap drug and that if the treatment was accepted it would be contrary to other economic interests.

We will be attentive to what happens. It should be noted, however, that in addition to the vaccine, it has become a current news in the fight against covid-19.