They are both mammals, they share some identical genes, but they should not share the same drug: ivermectin.
What is ivermectin? Ivermectin is an avermectin – a type of naturally occurring drug, by way of fermentation – discovered through culture of the fungus Streptomyces avermitilis in 1967. It is an effective anti-parasitic drug whose discoverers won the Nobel Prize in 2015.
Ivermectin has been and is currently used to treat humans and animals for pathogen infestation or infection, and is part of the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) Model List of Essential Medicines. Ivermectin may stop diseases like onchocerciasis or river blindness, an illness caused by helminths that damage capillaries of the eye; lymphatic filariasis, with accumulation of Wucheria worms in lymph vessels or glands; and scabies, a skin irritation caused by Sarcoptes mites. It may be administered by tablet, ointment, or injection in appropriate concentrations.
In our crazy COVID-19 times, its use against viral infection has been tested in humans, and the drug is currently being utilized to treat COVID-positive patients in 24 developing countries, including India, Peru, and others.
“But SARS-CoV-2 is a virus, not a parasite, correct?” one might ask. “Why would one think a drug which affects growth of parasites could also inhibit growth of viruses?”
Viruses and parasites are different types of microbes. Viruses are considered non-living, as they require a host to reproduce. Parasites are classified in the same grouping as humans: eukaryotes. They may function alone, but thrive on nutrients and housing from a host. Both viruses and parasites may elicit a similar outcome from infection in the human body, namely clumping of blood cells, or microvascular occlusion.
The commonality of disease sequelae prompted investigators to question if ivermectin might prove useful for treatment of COVID-19 patients. The alteration in blood clotting may damage the lining, or endothelium, of capillaries. When damaged vessels surround the alveoli or functional units for gas exchange in lungs, victims are deprived of oxygen, hence the need for ventilators in severe COVID-19 cases.
As of July 2021, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) followed 16 of 55 studies for assessment of ivermectin’s effects on COVID-19 cases. It is thought that ivermectin interferes with one or more of 20 identified levels for infection, level one being binding virus to host cells (blocked by steric hindrance?), through host inflammatory responses, thus stopping viral progression.
Some studies have been discounted for small sample size, non-randomization of subjects, or incomplete follow-up. Dr. Omura, the ivermectin Nobel co-laureate, with colleagues, published a review with data showing a sizable decrease in morbidity and mortality for human COVID-19 patients treated with ivermectin.
Due to fervent wishes to stay safe, people have taken drugs intended for animal use. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently tweeted, “you are not a horse. You are not a cow. C’mon ya’ll. Stop it.” The formulations and dosages for animal medications are NOT appropriate for humans. The ivermectin injection for cattle contains polyethylene glycol (PEG), a.k.a. antifreeze.
Ivermectin holds promise for SARS treatment: it has been approved, is inexpensive, and could be repurposed. But the best primary prevention for COVID-19 remains the Pfizer, Moderna, or J&J vaccine!
Programming Note: Listen to Julia Brodt report this story live today during Talk Ten Tuesdays, 10 Eastern.
I receive a lot of newsletters every morning to help me stay abreast of what is happening in the healthcare industry. A troubling recent trend
EDITOR’S NOTE Day 3 of the federal shutdown continues. This article by Mark Spivey is part of a special section today published by RACmonitor and
Please log in to your account to comment on this article.
Expert presenters Kathy Pride, RHIT, CPC, CCS-P, CPMA, and Brandi Russell, RHIA, CCS, COC, CPMA, break down complex fracture care coding rules, walk through correct modifier application (-25, -57, 54, 55), and clarify sequencing for initial and subsequent encounters. Attendees will gain the practical knowledge needed to submit clean claims, ensure compliance, and stay one step ahead of payer audits in 2026.
Accurately determining the principal diagnosis is critical for compliant billing, appropriate reimbursement, and valid quality reporting — yet it remains one of the most subjective and error-prone areas in inpatient coding. In this expert-led session, Cheryl Ericson, RN, MS, CCDS, CDIP, demystifies the complexities of principal diagnosis assignment, bridging the gap between coding rules and clinical reality. Learn how to strengthen your organization’s coding accuracy, reduce denials, and ensure your documentation supports true medical necessity.
Denials continue to delay reimbursement, increase administrative burden, and threaten financial stability across healthcare organizations. This essential webcast tackles the root causes—rising payer scrutiny, fragmented workflows, inconsistent documentation, and underused analytics—and offers proven, data-driven strategies to prevent and overturn denials. Attendees will gain practical tools to strengthen documentation and coding accuracy, engage clinicians effectively, and leverage predictive analytics and AI to identify risks before they impact revenue. Through real-world case examples and actionable guidance, this session empowers coding, CDI, and revenue cycle professionals to shift from reactive appeals to proactive denial prevention and revenue protection.
Sepsis remains one of the most frequently denied and contested diagnoses, creating costly revenue loss and compliance risks. In this webcast, Angela Comfort, DBA, MBA, RHIA, CDIP, CCS, CCS-P, provides practical, real-world strategies to align documentation with coding guidelines, reconcile Sepsis-2 and Sepsis-3 definitions, and apply compliant queries. You’ll learn how to identify and address documentation gaps, strengthen provider engagement, and defend diagnoses against payer scrutiny—equipping you to protect reimbursement, improve SOI/ROM capture, and reduce audit vulnerability in this high-risk area.
Stay ahead of the 2026-2027 audit surge with “Top 10 Audit Targets for 2026-2027 for Hospitals & Physicians: Protect Your Revenue,” a high-impact webcast led by Michael Calahan, PA, MBA. This concise session gives hospitals and physicians clear insight into the most likely federal audit targets, such as E/M services, split/shared and critical care, observation and admissions, device credits, and Two-Midnight Rule changes, and shows how to tighten documentation, coding, and internal processes to reduce denials, recoupments, and penalties. Attendees walk away with practical best practices to protect revenue, strengthen compliance, and better prepare their teams for inevitable audits.
As AI reshapes healthcare compliance, the risk of biased outputs and opaque decision-making grows. This webcast, led by Frank Cohen, delivers a practical Four-Pillar Governance Framework—Transparency, Accountability, Fairness, and Explainability—to help you govern AI-driven claim auditing with confidence. Learn how to identify and mitigate bias, implement robust human oversight, and document defensible AI review processes that regulators and auditors will accept. Discover concrete remedies, from rotation protocols to uncertainty scoring, and actionable steps to evaluate vendors before contracts are signed. In a regulatory landscape that moves faster than ever, gain the tools to stay compliant, defend your processes, and reduce liability while maintaining operational effectiveness.
Get clear, practical answers to Medicare’s most confusing regulations. Join Dr. Ronald Hirsch as he breaks down real-world compliance challenges and shares guidance your team can apply right away.
Federal auditors are zeroing in on Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF) and hospital rehab unit services, with OIG and CERT audits leading to millions in penalties—often due to documentation and administrative errors, not quality of care. Join compliance expert Michael Calahan, PA, MBA, to learn the five clinical “pillars” of IRF-PPS admissions, key documentation requirements, and real-life case lessons to help protect your revenue.
Prepare for the 2025 CMS IPPS Final Rule with ICD10monitor’s IPPSPalooza! Click HERE to learn more
Get 15% OFF on all educational webcasts at ICD10monitor with code JULYFOURTH24 until July 4, 2024—start learning today!
CYBER WEEK IS HERE! Don’t miss your chance to get 20% off now until Dec. 1 with code CYBER25
CYBER WEEK IS HERE! Don’t miss your chance to get 20% off now until Dec. 2 with code CYBER24
