ivermectin

This is acclaimed as a wonderdrug because it has been shown to combat some of the parasites that affect the world’s poorest people in the tropics, parasites such as gastrointestinal roundworms, lungworms, mites, lice and hornflies.

 Developed in the 1970s, it is the most commonly used derivative of avermectin which gets its name from Streptomyces avermitilis, a bacterium found in the soil in one location in Japan and not found anywhere else.

 It is an endectocide which means that it can be used internally (end-) and externally (ect-) to kill parasites, in particular nematodes and arthropods.

It is in widespread veterinary use for the treatment of cattle, although initially there was some concern that the drug residue which is excreted might kill off the dung beetles and leave piles of dung everywhere.  Fortunately this proved not to be true.

 And now there is the suggestion that it could be used to treat COVID-19. This is based on a laboratory experiment where it was found that a high concentration of ivermectin killed the coronavirus in monkey cells.  There have been a few small tests done with humans which have not shown any positive result. The problem is that the level of dosage required  for humans is so high that it could not be safely administered.

 Nonetheless there are those who feel that we are somehow being cheated of the benefits of this drug.  Among this group is Craig Kelly, federal Member for Hughes in New South Wales, who felt so strongly that he needed to speak up for the use of ivermectin that he could no longer stay in the Liberal Party when people like the PM wanted him to stop spruiking its benefits.