Ivermectin is flying off Coast store shelves despite warnings. ‘The new hydroxychloroquine.’

Singing River Health System has seen one patient who has overdosed on ivermectin and some Coastal farm supply stores can’t keep the drug on their shelves at a time when the Mississippi Poison Control Center says at least 70% of recent calls about the medication have been because humans are ingesting livestock de-wormer formulations of the drug in a misguided effort to combat COVID-19.

Four farm stores interviewed by the Sun Herald said they’ve seen recent, significant increases in sales of the anti-parasitic medicine commonly used in horses and cows while one store said sales have remained constant. A Singing River spokesperson said the hospital has seen an uptick in patients who self-medicated with ivermectin prior to seeking treatment, including at least one who overdosed on it.

Memorial Hospital Pulmonologist Dr. Bobby Tullos said he’s also seen an uptick in ivermectin interest— Coast residents have been using the treatment to prevent COVID or cure their symptoms. Tullos offered guidance consistent with that of the Mississippi Department of Health regarding the veterinary medicine: ivermectin is not a treatment for COVID-19 and no humans should not take medications that are prescribed to animals.

“I would strongly advise every human not to take medication prescribed for animals. This includes ivermectin,” Tullos said, warning of the drug’s toxicity. “The dosages for these animals are for cats or dogs, a thousand pound animals, two thousand pound animals. This is not prescribed for humans.”

In an MSDH alert released Friday, State Epidemiologist Dr. Paul Byers wrote that ingesting ivermectin could lead to rash, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, neurologic disorders and potentially severe hepatitis requiring hospitalization.

“There are dangerous toxicities associated with the strengths of these medications,” Tullos said. “There is not a safe dose, duration or anything for anyone to safely prescribe this medication, that’s why it’s recommended that you don’t take it until we learn more.”

Ivermectin’s popularity along the Coast

Coastline Home & Garden Supply in Gulfport “can’t keep ivermectin on their shelves,” according to employee George Dodson. The store is now having a difficult time finding the product because all local suppliers are out.

“When we get it, it’s sold out almost immediately, and every time we try to order, it’s backordered,” Dodson said. “All of my suppliers are running out.”

Feed Sack Farm & Garden Supply in Vancleave cannot keep supply on their shelves either, according to a manager, who said they’ve also had trouble buying the drug from suppliers. Interest in ivermectin began about three weeks ago at their store.

“They just want it to be on the safe side in the long run, but I don’t recommend it because we sell it for dogs and horses and cattle,” the manager said.

Fazzio’s Home & Farm Center in Gulfport also said they’ve sold a “lot more” of the veterinary medicine within the past couple of months.

“We sell it as a cattle wormer,” said Kevin Fazzio, the son of Fazzio’s owner. “I know we’ve sold a lot more of it, in past couple months it’s definitely gone up.”

A manager at the George County Co-Op said over the last few months they’ve seen a sharp increase in ivermectin sales.

“Oh yes, we’ve seen a lot more. They say, ‘my aunt wanted me to get it.’ I warn them that they don’t need to be taking it for personal use, in the back of my mind I know what they’re using it for,” the manager said.

“I tell them, this is going to hurt your kidneys or liver, especially your liver. That’s all I can say.”

A manager at T & N Feed & Pet Supplies in Latimer said ivermectin sales are “about the same” in his store. Managers at Tractor Supply Co. Gulfport and Ocean Springs and Picayune said they would not comment on their sales.

Mississippians are also getting the drug from certain websites where tele-med appointments and medications are available for $90 or from e-pharmacies where the medicine sells as low as $3.60 per pill.

Pat Sauls is a part-time paramedic for Acadian Air med and he works in a primary care clinic for BP. The Ocean Springs resident said he’s “absolutely” seen a lot of people talking about ivermectin on social media.

“It’s probably not the most mature thing to go back and forth with people but it’s very aggravating, especially because it’s something I deal with day in and day out. These people get information that is half-truths or is completely inaccurate and it goes and it spreads like wildfire,” he said.

The Mississippi State Department of Health has also noted the drug’s popularity on behalf of internet and social media buzz.

“It’s the new hydroxychloroquine,” State Medical Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs said during a recent press conference. “Internet alchemists have decided this is the cure, but there’s no data to show for it.”

Ivermectin is being used as a substitute for the vaccine in many cases, Tullos said, the “overwhelming response” among those who have taken the veterinary medicine are unvaccinated.

“The general response that people will comment on social media posts are, I’m not getting the vaccine, I’m taking ivermectin instead,” he said.

Why buying ivermectin from supply stores is dangerous

While there are approved uses for ivermectin in humans, it is not associated with curing or preventing COVID.

According to a press release from the University of Mississippi Medical Center, one of the biggest dangers of human ivermectin ingestion is how easily a person can overdose, said Vearrier and Jenna Davis, a family nurse practitioner and the Poison Control Center’s managing director.

“People are buying a livestock medication intended for an animal five to 10 times their weight,” Davis said. “Generally it’s safe for animals, but depending on the dose you take, it could potentially lead to side effects that could cause death.”

Tullos said he has no knowledge of local physicians prescribing ivermectin for COVID-19, which has led the Coast to go to farm supply stores.

“The ivermectin that you would get prescribed if you went to your doctor, I think it’s a 2-3 milligram dose. Versus the ivermectin that’s sold at tractor supply…roughly it’s about 10 times the human dose,” said Sauls.

“Everybody’s scared right now and they want a quick, easy answer. Even the human version, it’s not going to stop you from getting it. In reality, the only thing they’re using it for is to treat symptoms. So people rushing out there, going to these Co-ops, going to these vet-meds supplies thinking if they take it, it’s a replacement for a vaccine, it’s not the case. It is kind of worrisome.”

MSDH confirmed at least one person has been hospitalized for ivermectin toxicity after ingesting the drug as COVID treatment or preventative.

Ocean Springs resident Carrie Cox Cummings took two doses of ivermectin after she learned she was exposed to COVID from her coworkers and some family members. She never tested positive for the virus.

“I took the ivermectin and although I had all the symptoms for COVID, I tested negative three times,” she said. “People are scared and desperate so they are taking it without knowing how because even though it has been shown to work, doctors won’t prescribe it,” she said.

Cox Cummings said she never asked her doctor for the medicine, but would not disclose where she received it. Some of her friends have asked their doctors for ivermectin but were denied.

“I had absolutely no problems from the ivermectin due to the fact that I read the instructions and divided the dose down. I took it day one of my symptoms and day four, she said. “I also have a friend who passed last night. I begged his wife to fight with the doctors, in a completely different state, to give him ivermectin. They didn’t do it.”

This article is supported by the Journalism and Public Information Fund, a fund of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation.

This story was originally published August 24, 2021 at 12:00 AM.

Isabella Murray

Sun Herald

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