The article doesn't really provide any details, how much of an effect would be nice to know, and it's non-clinical research, but what happens if this research turns out to be correct and ivermectin turns out to be a clinically significant intervention?
Beyond some awkward silence I can't imagine it will change much. The side effects of ivermectin don't sound particularly nice [0]:
- anaemia
- coma
- confusion
- conjunctival haemorrhage
- difficulty standing
- difficulty walking
- encephalopathy
- faecal incontinence
although if it was you're only chance of survival the side effects might not matter, but with the new COVID drugs that, at least in developed countries, is no longer the case.
Is there are any issues with mass use of ivermectin, something akin to antibiotic resistance?
Scientists are not sure whether those side-effects come from the dying parasites or the ivermectin itself:
"Ivermectin is well tolerated compared to other microfilaricidal agents (i.e., thiabendazole, diethylcarbamazine). Adverse reactions (i.e., pruritus, fever, rash, myalgia, headache) occur commonly during the first 3 days after treatment and appear to be related to the extent of parasitic infection and systemic mobilization and killing of microfilariae. The majority of reactions can usually be treated with aspirin, acetaminophen and/or antihistamines. Adverse effects tend to occur with lesser frequency during periods of retreatment."
Source: https://www.drugs.com/sfx/ivermectin-side-effects.html
I am not sure how people do not have even slightest intuition about overdosing something. There are quite strict limits to everyday over the counter medicine. For example you should not take more than 1000 mg of paracetamol at time and not more than 4000 mg a day. Would the same people who think that it is normal to take 5 times in a row the dosage that is mostly prescribed for several months also take 20000 mg of paracetamol when somebody claims that it will cure covid?
Beyond some awkward silence I can't imagine it will change much. The side effects of ivermectin don't sound particularly nice [0]: - anaemia - coma - confusion - conjunctival haemorrhage - difficulty standing - difficulty walking - encephalopathy - faecal incontinence
although if it was you're only chance of survival the side effects might not matter, but with the new COVID drugs that, at least in developed countries, is no longer the case.
Is there are any issues with mass use of ivermectin, something akin to antibiotic resistance?
[0] https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drug/ivermectin.html#sideEffects