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FACT BRIEF

Did the FDA reverse course and say it's OK to take ivermectin if you have COVID-19?

By Tom Kertscher
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NO

The Food and Drug Administration on Aug. 16, 2023, reiterated that, for treating COVID-19, it has not approved and does not recommend the drug ivermectin.

The federal agency said:

“Although FDA has approved ivermectin for certain uses in humans and animals, it has not authorized or approved ivermectin for use in preventing or treating COVID-19, nor has the agency stated that it is safe or effective for that use.”

The FDA said it made the statement because of false claims circulated in recent days.

In an Aug. 11 interview with Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo said “the FDA is now saying that it’s OK to take ivermectin if you have COVID.”

FDA lawyers had said Aug. 8 that doctors can prescribe ivermectin and other medications for a purpose not explicitly approved by the FDA. 

That was not a change in FDA policy.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
US Food and Drug Administration (Twitter) 1) Although FDA has approved ivermectin for certain uses in humans and animals, it has not authorized or approved ivermectin for use in preventing or treating COVID-19, nor has the agency stated that it is safe or effective for that use.
US Food and Drug Administration (Twitter) We’ve seen lots of chatter about ivermectin in the last week. Some of what you’re seeing in videos and social media posts isn’t true. Here are the facts: ⬇️⬇️
YouTube Ron Johnson Fox Business interview
Health Feedback The FDA continues to recommend against ivermectin for treating or preventing COVID-19, despite claims to the contrary
US Food and Drug Administration (Twitter) 2) Health care professionals generally may choose to prescribe an approved human drug for an unapproved use when they judge that the unapproved use is medically appropriate for an individual patient.
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.