FDA Settles Lawsuit over Ivermectin Social Media Posts

FDA agrees to remove and never republish several social media posts suggesting the drug ivermectin used by some doctors to treat COVID-19 is intended for animals, not humans. did.

The FDA still doesn’t approve the use of ivermectin to treat the coronavirus, but the lawsuit filed by three doctors, the Department of Health and Human Services and its Secretary, Xavier Becerra, and FDA Commissioner Robert Calif. It was settled on Thursday. All parties settled.

The lawsuit was filed on June 2, 2022, by doctors Mary Tully Borden, Paul Malik, and Robert Apter, who allege that the FDA is interfering with their ability to practice medicine. he claimed.

The lawsuit was initially dismissed on the grounds that the FDA had “sovereign immunity,” but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit reversed the lower court’s ruling, stating that “the FDA is not a doctor.”

The appeals court also said that “even tweet-sized personalized medical advice exceeds FDA’s statutory authority.”

The FDA and doctors reached a settlement dated Thursday that requires the FDA to retire a consumer update titled “Why Ivermectin Should Not Be Used to Treat or Prevent COVID-19.”

The FDA will also delete and not republish posts on Twitter (now known as

Another Instagram post read, “You’re not a horse. Stop with #ivermectin. Not approved to treat #coronavirus,” and another posted, “Hug your horse, ivermectin is trending.” It may, but it is not licensed or approved to treat COVID-19.”

The issue became famous when podcaster Joe Rogan criticized CNN’s chief medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta over his use of ivermectin, which CNN repeatedly referred to as “horse dewormer.” .

“I can afford to give people drugs,” Logan told Gupta three years ago. “That’s ridiculous. It’s just a lie.”

The FDA had already eliminated the Frequently Asked Questions section that was at issue in the lawsuit. The FDA said all posts and other materials will be removed within 21 days and then archived, as required by law.

The FDA said newsweek “The agency has chosen to resolve this case rather than continue litigation over statements made two to nearly four years ago.”

Additionally, “FDA does not admit to any violation of law or wrongdoing, disagrees with plaintiffs’ claims that FDA exceeded its authority in issuing the statements challenged in the lawsuit, and does not agree with the public regarding its products. “I firmly maintain my authority to communicate with the public,” he added. That regulates it. ”

Ivermectin has long been approved for use in both animals and humans. In the latter case, topical medications are used to treat problems with lice and rosacea, and tablets are used to treat worms, intestinal worms, and onchocerciasis.

As of Friday, the FDA said on its website that it is not recommending the drug against the coronavirus, that large doses are dangerous, and that prescriptions should be filled at a pharmacy and taken exactly as prescribed. It has said.

Ivermectin supporters were taking a victory lap over the X, with Borden posting an image of a giant red X through one of the social media posts that the FDA agreed to remove.

In a post that had been viewed 280,000 times as of Friday afternoon, independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wrote about X: “Ivermectin is not an isolated case. Many have a bias against low-cost, generic, and/or natural remedies that have a “low likelihood of benefit.” Is it because half of the money comes from big pharmaceutical companies?”

The FDA declined to respond to Kennedy’s claims, but said, “Our position remains that currently available clinical trial data do not demonstrate that ivermectin is effective against COVID-19. has not endorsed or authorized the use of ivermectin for prophylaxis.” Or treatment for the new coronavirus infection. ”