The pandemic has increased the demand for ivermectin in Finland, a trend that is also visible in other parts of the world, although studies show that the antiparasitic has no significant effect on the treatment of Covid.
Some ivermectin studies have even been downright fraudulent Caretaker.
"If ivermectin were not available, I would probably take the vaccine." Sami Antinniemi told Yle and added that he does not oppose vaccines. "I believe in science."
Ivermectin has been used to heal animals and humans from carpets and lice since the 1980s. Finnish pharmacies sell the drug under the brand name Stromectol manufactured by the US pharmaceutical manufacturer Merck.
Finland’s largest pharmacy chain, Yliopistoapteekki, has reported that demand for Stromectol will grow by 30 percent over the past year. A survey conducted by the Finnish Association of Pharmacists (AFP) last August also showed increased interest in the medicine.
However, the university pharmacy found that the drug was also illegally ordered from outside the EU.
Customs have reported a slight increase in the amount of ivermectin seized. In 2020, three consignments of medicines were stopped by customs authorities when the number rose to eight in August this year, and the packages contained a few dozen to several hundred pills.
Petri dish vs real life
Finnish researchers have studied the effect of ivermectin and thousands of other existing drugs on the treatment of Covid. The results were disappointing Olli Vapalahti, University of Helsinki Virologist.
"The main problem is that the beneficial effect of ivermectin is only achieved at too high a dose to be administered to patients." Vapaalahti explained the drug’s ability to prevent the virus from multiplying in a petri dish.
Vรครคnรคnen said he does not believe that ivermectin pills on the market could protect people from the virus.
"I understand we have no evidence of positive results with oral ivermectin tablets. I recommend people get vaccinated," he said.
However, Therapeutica Borealis from Turku is developing an ivermectin-based drug for the treatment of Covid. It reaches the body through the nose, not the mouth, as is the case with pills like Stromectol.
Kalervo Vรครคnรคnen, one of the companyโs founders, said the Therapeutica Borealis drug is designed as a nasal spray.
"Our hypothesis is that the spray covers the nasal membrane with a protective layer, which prevents the virus from multiplying. This would reduce the viral load to the point that not everyone who gets the virus may get sick," he explained.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) do not recommend the use of ivermectin in the routine management of Covid patients. In the United States, where sales of ivermectin have grown exponentially, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stated that it has not approved or approved ivermectin for use in the prevention or treatment of Covid-19.
Source: The Nordic Page