Republican Lawmakers Question Attacks on Ivermectin as COVID-19 Treatment

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), a member of the Freedom Caucus and one of the supporters of ivermectin, speaks during an interview at the Conservative Partnership Institute in Washington on Sept. 27, 2021. Emel Akan/The Epoch Times

WASHINGTON–A group of Republican lawmakers is supporting doctors who advocate for the right to use ivermectin, an inexpensive antiparasitic drug, for treating COVID-19.

Ivermectin is the latest drug caught in controversy after demand surged dramatically in August. Physician and pharmacist groups, including the American Medical Association, “strongly oppose” the prescribing of ivermectin to treat COVID-19 patients. Federal health agencies also issued warnings recently to prevent the use of the drug, stating that “adverse effects associated with ivermectin misuse and overdose are increasing.”