Public Safety Message
Dear Customers, Distributors and Retailers,
Bimeda received communication from the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) regarding continued concerns that people are using formulations of the drug ivermectin that are intended for animals, to treat or prevent COVID-19 in humans. Due to these concerns, FDA issued a consumer alert: Why You Should Not Use Ivermectin to Treat or Prevent COVID-19.
As noted, in many recent news stories and in a Health Alert from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, poison control centers across the United States are seeing a sharp spike in reports of people suffering adverse health effects after taking animal ivermectin.
In addition, FDA is now concerned that this use by people will result in a shortage of product for use in animals. CVM is hearing of reports of decreased availability of certain animal ivermectin products in certain regions of the country.
FDA asked us to work together to help counter any messaging that might be driving consumers to use these products intended for animals. To that end, FDA provided the following links:
- Letter to Veterinarians and Retailers
- Printable poster
- Consumer Update: Why You Should Not Use Ivermectin to Treat or Prevent COVID-19
- FAQ: COVID-19 and Ivermectin Intended for Animals
- CDC Health Advisory: Rapid Increase in Ivermectin Prescriptions and Reports of Severe Illness Associated with Use of Products Containing Ivermectin to Prevent or Treat COVID-19
Bimeda