Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.) claimed that researchers won’t study ivermectin, a toxic anti-parasitic used to treat parasitic worms, lice, and skin problems in livestock because of their “hatred” for ex-President Donald Trump.
“The hatred for Trump deranged these people so much that they’re unwilling to objectively study it,” Paul said in an interview with The Cincinnati Enquirer. “So someone like me that’s in the middle on it, I can’t tell you because they will not study ivermectin. They will not study hydroxychloroquine without the taint of their hatred for Donald Trump.”
Although he acknowledged that he does not know if ivermectin works, Paul said he will “keep an open mind.”
Former President Trump often promoted treatments that have not been shown to be effective in preventing or curing Covid-19 infections. He infamously endorsed using hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malarial drug, when in office, even though doctors advised against it.
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Ivermectin has not been shown to be effective in preventing or curing Covid-19 infections. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned advised individuals to stop taking it after receiving reports that people had been hospitalized for using the drug.
In an official advisory, the FDA said that given the number of deaths that have been attributed to Covid-19, “it’s perhaps not surprising that some consumers are looking at unconventional treatments, not approved or authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).”
“Though this is understandable, please beware,” the agency added. “The FDA’s job is to carefully evaluate the scientific data on a drug to be sure that it is both safe and effective for a particular use, and then to decide whether or not to approve it. 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.”
Alan is a writer, editor, and news junkie based in New York.
