Luis Robayo/AFP/Getty
The virus claims that the ivermectin drug causes 85% of male infertility, which is based on the suspicious conclusions of a 2011 study that included only 37 subjects.
Recent news articles and memes have suggested infertility based on a study conducted in Nigeria in 2011. The study uses ivermectin as a drug to treat river blindness, a parasitic infection unique to Africa and one of the diseases for which the drug is approved for human treatment. However, according to the US Food and Drug Administration, infertility is not a known side effect of ivermectin.Food and Drug Administration).
As ivermectin is increasingly being used by some people as an unapproved and potentially ineffective treatment for COVID-19, infertility claims spread quickly. The 85% figure is not from the Nigerian study itself, but from another study it cited, although no record of that study can be found in the cited journal. The Nigerian study conducted without a control group also tested the possible effects of the drug on male fertility.
Among the 385 men initially included in the Nigeria study, only 37 were finally investigated. The remaining men were excluded because their sperm count was too low. In 37 men with a sufficiently high sperm count, it was found that their fertility was negatively affected, although the effect was small in some subjects, and it is not clear whether this is a temporary effect.
There is almost no reason to believe that ivermectin causes infertility in humans. The Nigerian study was conducted on a small number of subjects, and questions were raised about the research methodology and the peer review process of the journal where the study was published. Some studies have shown that the drug affects the fertility of farm animals, but animal studies are generally not applicable to humans.
There is also no reason to believe that the recent claims that Ivermectin is a “cure” or useful treatment for COVID-19. Although some small studies have shown that Ivermectin may have the potential as a treatment for COVID-19, many other studies have shown no benefit or are inconclusive.Some studies showing positive results have Criticized by experts For bad design and other errors.
A large meta-analysis in July was touted as evidence that ivermectin was effective against COVID-19, but it was quickly withdrawn after it was discovered that fraudulent data was used. In the absence of fraudulent data, the analysis found that ivermectin does not affect the survival of COVID-19 patients. Other studies are ongoing, but the existing evidence does not support the assertion that ivermectin is an effective treatment for COVID-19.
Although the drug is generally well tolerated when used in approved conditions and in appropriate dosages, the FDA said last week that it “received multiple reports that patients need medical care after self-administering ivermectin, Including hospitalization.”
The FDA warns consumers who may unfoundedly believe that Ivermectin is a treatment for COVID-19 and that the drug should not be used off-label because it can cause many unpleasant side effects in addition to infertility, even if it Not from veterinary drugs.
“Even levels of ivermectin approved for human use can interact with other drugs, such as blood thinners,” the FDA notice read. “You may also overdose ivermectin, which can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, hypotension (hypotension), allergic reactions (pruritus and hives), dizziness, ataxia (balance problems), seizures, coma and even die.”
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