An Ohio hospital must treat a desperately ill COVID-19 patient with Ivermectin, a livestock dewormer not proven to be effective against the virus, a judge ruled. The ruling, which was first reported by the Ohio Capital Journal, came after the man’s wife sued the hospital to force doctors to administer the drug, which has become a fad after relentless promotion by pro-Trump pundits and politicians such as Sean Hannity of Fox News and Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI). The 51-year-old patient, identified in court filings as Jeffrey Smith, has been in the ICU for several weeks with COVID. However, it does not say whether or not Smith is vaccinated. Smith’s wife, Julie, “found Ivermectin on her own,” according to the Journal. Aside from deworming horses and sheep, Ivermectin has been used in humans to treat head lice and river blindness, but never COVID. The CDC warns that Ivermectin can lead to severe health consequences if used improperly.
