Oregon Poison Center: Five Hospitalized After Using Ivermectin

BEND, Ore. (AP) – Dozens of people in Oregon have contacted the state’s poison center after self-medicating against COVID-19 with a drug used to treat parasites, with five becoming hospitalized and two of them winding up in intensive care units.

The drug they used was ivermectin, which has no proven use against the coronavirus and is instead approved to treat some parasites in people and some animals.

Between Aug. 1 and Sept. 14, the Oregon Poison Center at OHSU managed a total of 25 cases.

The medical director of the Oregon Poison Center said people shouldn’t use unproven and potentially dangerous drugs to fight COVID-19.