Authorities: Anthelmintic Ivermectin's Safety as COVID-19 Treatment Not Proven (Update)

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[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] The domestic quarantine authorities have taken a cautious stance on overseas research results showing that the antiparasitic drug "Ivermectin," approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), kills the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) within 48 hours, stating that "its safety and efficacy have not been sufficiently proven."

Jung Eun-kyung, head of the Central Disease Control Headquarters for COVID-19, said at a regular briefing on the afternoon of the 6th, "The effect of ivermectin has not been verified by administering it to humans; the research was conducted at the cellular level, so it is not to be applied to the treatment of (COVID-19) patients." She emphasized, "The exact dosage, safety regarding side effects, and efficacy have not been sufficiently verified, so applying this to clinical practice is very unreasonable and has limitations."

Earlier that day, Yang Jin-young, deputy director of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, also stated, "Generally, antiparasitic drugs have low absorption rates, so additional research such as clinical trials is necessary for development as a therapeutic agent," adding, "The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety will continue to monitor the development status of related therapeutics." According to the Ministry, ivermectin-containing antiparasitic drugs are not currently approved domestically, but one product has been approved for export.

The U.S. science media outlet Science Daily reported on the 4th, citing experimental results announced by Dr. Kylie Wagstaff of the Monash University Institute of Biomedical Discovery in Australia, stating that "ivermectin kills the COVID-19 virus within 48 hours."

According to the study, the COVID-19 virus cultured in cells was completely eliminated within 48 hours after exposure to ivermectin, and the viral genome (RNA) of COVID-19 was significantly reduced 24 hours after a single dose.

However, Dr. Wagstaff emphasized, "These results come from cell culture experiments, so clinical trials involving humans are necessary." She added, "Ivermectin is considered a widely used and safe drug, but it is necessary to first confirm what dosage is effective for patients infected with COVID-19."

According to the report, although ivermectin is approved as an antiparasitic drug, it has been found to be effective against a broad range of viruses, including AIDS, dengue fever, influenza, and the Zika virus.