Andrew Bryant et al from the UK published a study titled “Ivermectin for Prevention and Treatment of COVID-19 Infection: A Systematic Review, Meta-analysis, and Trial Sequential Analysis to Inform Clinical Guidelines” on June 17.
The review included 24 studies with a total of 3406 participants. There is much data but not all of it is high quality but it is interesting.
Regarding the risk of death:
Meta-analysis of 15 trials, assessing 2438 participants, found that ivermectin reduced the risk of death by an average of 62% (95% CI 27%–81%) compared with no ivermectin treatment…
Regarding ivermectin as a prophylactic, albeit considered as “low-certainty evidence”:
Three studies involving 738 participants evaluated ivermectin for COVID-19 prophylaxis among health care workers and COVID-19 contacts. Meta-analysis of these 3 trials, assessing 738 participants, found that ivermectin prophylaxis among health care workers and COVID-19 contacts probably reduces the risk of COVID-19 infection by an average of 86% (79%–91%) (3 trials, 738 participants; aRR 0.14, 95% CI 0.09–0.21; 5.0% vs. 29.6% contracted COVID-19, respectively; low-certainty evidence; downgraded due to study design limitations and few included trials).
Ivermectin is a relatively cheap anti-parasitic drug that is available globally. Even if the studies cited by this review do not necessarily have high-quality data, it does indicate that the drug has some benefit and deserves serious consideration in dealing with COVID-19.
Of course, we can’t have that. If one takes a casual browse of what’s on the internet, they will find the usual dismissive narrative ranging from “insufficient evidence” to outright “conspiracy theory”, not unlike what is said regarding HCQ. After all, there is the “vaccine”.
Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list so you get each new Opinyun that comes out!
Bình luận