A study by researchers from UCLA highlights a significant rise in prescriptions for ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite the FDA not approving these drugs for treating COVID-19.
• Nearly 3 million prescriptions for ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine were issued during the pandemic, amounting to about $272 million.
• Ivermectin prescriptions surged nearly 1,000% above pre-pandemic levels.
• Older adults (aged 65 and over) were three times more likely to use these drugs compared to younger adults, with this age group representing 25% of the study sample but constituting over 59% of ivermectin and 68% of hydroxychloroquine users.
• Hydroxychloroquine prescriptions peaked in March 2020, reaching 133% of the norm before the pandemic.
• Ivermectin use continued to rise throughout 2020 and 2021, and by August 2021, prescriptions had increased more than tenfold.
• After the introduction of COVID-19 medications like Pfizer’s Paxlovid, prescriptions for both drugs fell about 93% between March 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023.
• Ivermectin was more commonly prescribed in socially vulnerable areas and in the southern United States, although geographical variations in prescriptions were noted that weren't explained by medication availability.
The findings emphasize a need for policy reforms to address misinformation and distrust in health institutions. The study underscores the FDA's position against using ivermectin for COVID-19, while some studies suggested potential benefits. The evaluation included 8. 1 million patients and reported a total of 3,037,751 prescriptions associated with COVID-19 treatments during the public health emergency.
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