4 ms·

A few things. First, it's very strange that an antiparasitic like ivermectin has become known among mainstream laypersons. Second, those articles are from the

A few things. First, it's very strange that an antiparasitic like ivermectin has become known among mainstream laypersons. Second, those articles are from the 80s, one is nearly 40 years old. Third, various antiparasitic medications on the market for dogs contain ivermectin (e.g. Heartgard, Iverhart, and Tri-Heart) - these uses include the prevention or control of hookworm infections. Finally, when the original article mentions "three types of drugs" to combat parasitic infections, they are referring to the benzimidazole, avermectin/milbemycin (or macrocyclic lactones), and tetrahydropyrimidine classes of drugs - where ivermectin belongs to the avermectin/milbemycin (macrocyclic lactones) class of drugs. With that said, ivermectin-containing compounds are actually a notable part of the research.

Johnny555 5y ago
First, it's very strange that an antiparasitic like ivermectin has become known among mainstream laypersons. Not that strange among laymen dog owners when the package of HeartGard heartworm medicine says "Ivermectin" prominently on the label. People that heard about it as a COVID cure know Ivermectin as horse dewormer, many dog owners know it as a monthly heartworm preventative. https://entirelypetspharmacy.com/heartgard-for-dogs-51-100lbs-12mnth.html https://entirelypetspharmacy.com/heartgard-for-dogs-51-100lb...
x0x0 5y ago
It's just where people grew up. If you had horses, sheep, or goats, you know what ivermectin is.
- ravitation 5y ago
  While this might be true... Surely you're aware that, given certain national conversations, ivermectin specifically is known by far more than just those that grew up around livestock now?
  - x0x0 5y ago
    Oh sure -- I just meant that it's a pretty common tool for people who have or had farm animals.
  - jsight 5y ago
    Not sure what you mean. When Ivermectin was first being discussed, way before it became a national topic, I regularly heard people saying "oh, you mean my dog's heartworm medication? How could that help?" It has been a well known drug for a long time.
    - loonster 5y ago
      In 2017 I had a coworker that told me he used a pea size amount of horse dewormer for his dog. Said his vet turned him onto it. Just don't use it with collies and other similar breeds.
RcouF1uZ4gsC 5y ago
> First, it's very strange that an antiparasitic like ivermectin has become known among mainstream laypersons. I don’t find it any more strange that that Remdesivir or mRNA vaccines or even “Coronavirus” is known among the general population. COVID-19 had a huge effect on people and anything related to its treatment or prevention(regardless of the evidence) will have a lot of people know about it.
- ravitation 5y ago
  I meant that it's odd from the perspective of how unlikely this conversation, about ivermectin (or any of the things you listed), would've been even just two years ago. EDIT: But, also somewhat odd how apparently disproportionately widespread the conversation about specifically ivermectin has become.
  - twofornone 5y ago
    I'd presume this is the Streisand Effect in action. Regardless of your views on the efficacy of ivermectin, media came down pretty hard on Ivermectin, implying that it was somehow dangerous while the best that the CDC's website could offer was something along the lines of "lack of efficacy and unknown safety profile in covid patients". I can see how people would be suspicious of the borderline slanderous claims regarding an established medication with a very good safety profile. That the denizens of the internet latched onto the "horse paste" non sequitur probably helped spread awareness as well.
  - dukeofdoom 5y ago
    The weirdest one I read online is that Ivermectin might change human sexual behaviour. Since parasites can and do spread through anal sex. Speculated that the parasites can change behaviour of the human host, to engage in more anal sex. Similarly to the way its been observed in mice. "However, the protozoan can only reproduce within the bodies of cats, and in mice, the mind-controlling parasite has evidently evolved to make mice unafraid of felines and even, according to some research, sexually attracted to the odor of cat urine"
jbotz 5y ago
> it's very strange that an antiparasitic like ivermectin has become known among mainstream laypersons Who are you calling a "mainstream layperson"? ;-) Well, I'm not a medical professional, but I raise livestock, and ivermectin has been my go-to anti-parasitic since long before Covid.

Johnny555 5y ago

First, it's very strange that an antiparasitic like ivermectin has become known among mainstream laypersons. Not that strange among laymen dog owners when the package of HeartGard heartworm medicine says "Ivermectin" prominently on the label. People that heard about it as a COVID cure know Ivermectin as horse dewormer, many dog owners know it as a monthly heartworm preventative. https://entirelypetspharmacy.com/heartgard-for-dogs-51-100lbs-12mnth.html https://entirelypetspharmacy.com/heartgard-for-dogs-51-100lb...

x0x0 5y ago

It's just where people grew up. If you had horses, sheep, or goats, you know what ivermectin is.

ravitation 5y ago
While this might be true... Surely you're aware that, given certain national conversations, ivermectin specifically is known by far more than just those that grew up around livestock now?
- x0x0 5y ago
  Oh sure -- I just meant that it's a pretty common tool for people who have or had farm animals.
- jsight 5y ago
  Not sure what you mean. When Ivermectin was first being discussed, way before it became a national topic, I regularly heard people saying "oh, you mean my dog's heartworm medication? How could that help?" It has been a well known drug for a long time.
  - loonster 5y ago
    In 2017 I had a coworker that told me he used a pea size amount of horse dewormer for his dog. Said his vet turned him onto it. Just don't use it with collies and other similar breeds.

RcouF1uZ4gsC 5y ago

> First, it's very strange that an antiparasitic like ivermectin has become known among mainstream laypersons. I don’t find it any more strange that that Remdesivir or mRNA vaccines or even “Coronavirus” is known among the general population. COVID-19 had a huge effect on people and anything related to its treatment or prevention(regardless of the evidence) will have a lot of people know about it.

ravitation 5y ago
I meant that it's odd from the perspective of how unlikely this conversation, about ivermectin (or any of the things you listed), would've been even just two years ago. EDIT: But, also somewhat odd how apparently disproportionately widespread the conversation about specifically ivermectin has become.
- twofornone 5y ago
  I'd presume this is the Streisand Effect in action. Regardless of your views on the efficacy of ivermectin, media came down pretty hard on Ivermectin, implying that it was somehow dangerous while the best that the CDC's website could offer was something along the lines of "lack of efficacy and unknown safety profile in covid patients". I can see how people would be suspicious of the borderline slanderous claims regarding an established medication with a very good safety profile. That the denizens of the internet latched onto the "horse paste" non sequitur probably helped spread awareness as well.
- dukeofdoom 5y ago
  The weirdest one I read online is that Ivermectin might change human sexual behaviour. Since parasites can and do spread through anal sex. Speculated that the parasites can change behaviour of the human host, to engage in more anal sex. Similarly to the way its been observed in mice. "However, the protozoan can only reproduce within the bodies of cats, and in mice, the mind-controlling parasite has evidently evolved to make mice unafraid of felines and even, according to some research, sexually attracted to the odor of cat urine"

jbotz 5y ago

> it's very strange that an antiparasitic like ivermectin has become known among mainstream laypersons Who are you calling a "mainstream layperson"? ;-) Well, I'm not a medical professional, but I raise livestock, and ivermectin has been my go-to anti-parasitic since long before Covid.