Social Media Post on Use of Ivermectin for Refugees Lacks Context

There are no cures for COVID-19. So far, only a few evidence-based treatments are available. One is the antiviral drug , which received from the Food and Drug Administration in October for COVID-19 patients requiring hospitalization. The FDA based its approval on randomized, controlled clinical trials that found faster to others. For instance, based on the findings of randomized controlled trials, it has authorized the use of    that target SARS-CoV-2 for patients with mild to moderate disease who are at high risk for developing severe COVID-19. These drugs are  that are designed to , although some  be effective against all variants of the coronavirus. The FDA has also issued EUAs for ,  and , for use in certain patients who are hospitalized, in combination with other drugs. Both drugs are used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and are thought to help by  an overactive immune system later in the disease progression. Baricitinib was authorized in combination with remdesivir for hospitalized patients who require ventilation or supplemental oxygen; that decision was based on a randomized, controlled clinical trial that found faster recovery times and better odds of improvement with the drug combination. Tocilizumab was authorized for patients taking systemic corticosteroids, such as dexamethasone, who need supplemental oxygen or ventilation. Convalescent plasma, or the part of the blood that contains antibodies from people who have recovered from COVID-19, has also been studied as a potential treatment. In February 2021, the FDA  its EUA to include only plasma with a high concentration of antibodies “for the treatment of hospitalized patients early in the disease course,” following studies that found no benefit with lower antibody amounts. In a March 9 letter, the FDA  that “the clinical evidence supporting this EUA remains limited” and encouraged health care providers to enroll patients in ongoing clinical trials. The NIH’s COVID-19  do not currently recommend convalescent plasma for any patient group.