Covid: Swiss health authorities warn people not to take horse medicine
Swissmedic, the country’s principal therapeutic medical agency, has warned people not to take medicine made for animals to treat Covid.
Swissmedic said drugs designed to treat worms in horses were being imported into Switzerland based on online conspiracy theories that they are an effective treatment against Covid.
The drug, with the active ingredient ivermectin, has been promoted by conspiracy theorists in the United States as a possible treatment for Covid.
The conspiracy has become so widespread that veterinarians have asked people seeking the drug for proof they have a horse.
Health authorities across the globe have reiterated that there is no evidence the drug is effective in treating Covid, although it remains effective for equine parasites.
Swissmedic said on Tuesday that the “alleged miracle cure” should not be taken by humans.
⚠️Angebliches Wundermittel Ivermectin: das Antiparasitikum wurde nicht von Swissmedic geprüft. Seien Sie vorsichtig: wer Ivermectin unkontrolliert einnimmt, gefährdet seine Gesundheit. https://t.co/xuiuUQbUEo pic.twitter.com/oIHCHrZmaH
— Swissmedic (@Swissmedic_) November 2, 2021
“Alleged miracle cure ivermectin: the antiparasitic has not been tested by Swissmedic. Be careful: anyone who takes ivermectin uncontrollably is putting their health at risk.”
In a statement, Swiss medic elaborated to say "This includes illegal drug imports with drugs against worms and other parasites with the active ingredient ivermectin."
Swiss authorities until this point had not considered the drug to be a problem domestically, however an increasing number of seizures by Swiss customs of the drug in recent weeks has prompted the warning.
Swiss authorities have warned that people should not try and procure horse medication via the internet or bring it in from elsewhere and that medical treatments should come via the usual channels, i.e. doctors and pharmacies.
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Swissmedic said drugs designed to treat worms in horses were being imported into Switzerland based on online conspiracy theories that they are an effective treatment against Covid.
The drug, with the active ingredient ivermectin, has been promoted by conspiracy theorists in the United States as a possible treatment for Covid.
The conspiracy has become so widespread that veterinarians have asked people seeking the drug for proof they have a horse.
Health authorities across the globe have reiterated that there is no evidence the drug is effective in treating Covid, although it remains effective for equine parasites.
Swissmedic said on Tuesday that the “alleged miracle cure” should not be taken by humans.
⚠️Angebliches Wundermittel Ivermectin: das Antiparasitikum wurde nicht von Swissmedic geprüft. Seien Sie vorsichtig: wer Ivermectin unkontrolliert einnimmt, gefährdet seine Gesundheit. https://t.co/xuiuUQbUEo pic.twitter.com/oIHCHrZmaH
— Swissmedic (@Swissmedic_) November 2, 2021
“Alleged miracle cure ivermectin: the antiparasitic has not been tested by Swissmedic. Be careful: anyone who takes ivermectin uncontrollably is putting their health at risk.”
In a statement, Swiss medic elaborated to say "This includes illegal drug imports with drugs against worms and other parasites with the active ingredient ivermectin."
Swiss authorities until this point had not considered the drug to be a problem domestically, however an increasing number of seizures by Swiss customs of the drug in recent weeks has prompted the warning.
Swiss authorities have warned that people should not try and procure horse medication via the internet or bring it in from elsewhere and that medical treatments should come via the usual channels, i.e. doctors and pharmacies.
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