Ivermectin reduces COVID death risk by 92%, peer-reviewed study finds



A new peer-reviewed study found that regular use of ivermectin reduced the risk of dying from COVID-19 by 92%.

The large study was conducted by Flávio A. Cadegiani, MD, MSc, PhD. Cadegiani is a board-certified endocrinologist with a master's degree and doctorate degree in clinical endocrinology.

The peer-reviewed study was published on Wednesday by the online medical journal Cureus. The study was conducted on a strictly controlled population of 88,012 people from the city of Itajaí in Brazil.

Individuals who used ivermectin as prophylaxis or took the medication before being infected by COVID experienced significant reductions in death and hospitalization.

According to the study, those who took ivermectin regularly had a 92% reduction in their COVID death risk compared to non-users and 84% less than irregular users.

"The hospitalization rate was reduced by 100% in regular users compared to both irregular users and non-users," the study stated.

The impressive reduction for regular ivermectin users was evident despite the regular users being at a higher risk for COVID deaths. The regular users were older and had a higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes and hypertension than irregular and non-users.

Irregular users of ivermectin had a 37% lower mortality rate reduction than non-users.

The study defined regular users as those who used more than 30 tablets of ivermectin over five months. The dosage of ivermectin was determined by body weight, but "most of the population used between two and three tablets daily for two days, every 15 days."

"Non-use of ivermectin was associated with a 12.5-fold increase in mortality rate and a seven-fold increased risk of dying from COVID-19 compared to the regular use of ivermectin," the study read. "This dose-response efficacy reinforces the prophylactic effects of ivermectin against COVID-19."

Cadegiani believes the study showed a "dose-response effect" – which means that increasing levels of ivermectin decreased the risk of hospitalization and death from COVID-19.

Cadegiani wrote on Twitter, "An observational study with the size and level of analysis as ours is hardly achieved and infeasible to be conducted as a randomised clinical trial. Conclusions are hard to be refuted. Data is data, regardless of your beliefs."

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Pfizer testing pill that could fight off COVID after exposure or infection



Pfizer is testing an antiviral pill that could fight off COVID-19 infection among people who have a close contact that tests positive for the virus.

In a news release Monday, the biotech company announced the start of a late-stage trial for the drug to test its efficacy against the virus in combination with a low dose of the HIV drug, ritonavir, among those who are at least 18 years old and who live in the same household as someone with a symptomatic COVID-19 infection.

The drugmaker hopes to enroll at least 2,660 people in the double-blind study. Participants will receive either the treatment regimen or a placebo twice each day for five to 10 days.

The study is part of a larger clinical trial launched in March that aims to develop a safe, easy treatment for coronavirus infections after they surface so as to ease the burden on hospitals.

According to CBS News, the drug belongs to a class of medicines called protease inhibitors, which are used to treat diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis C. They work by hampering the production of enzymes needed for the virus to multiply in human cells.

By adding ritonavir in combination with the pill, scientists hope the treatment will last longer in the body.

In March, Dr. Mikael Dolsten, Pfizer's chief scientific officer, said the antiviral treatment could potentially be prescribed "at the first sign of infection, without requiring that patients are hospitalized or in critical care."

Pfizer is also testing the drug among people already infected with the virus. The company expects those results by the end of the year.

"With the continued impact of COVID-19 around the world, we believe that tackling the virus will require effective treatments for people who contract, or have been exposed to, the virus, complementing the impact that vaccines have had in helping quell infections," Dolsten added in a statement Monday.

"If successful, we believe this therapy could help stop the virus early — before it has had a chance to replicate extensively — potentially preventing symptomatic disease in those who have been exposed and inhibiting the onset of infection in others," he said.

Forbes noted there are currently few drugs designed to fight infection among those who either have already contracted the virus or been exposed to it. And the ones that are available — such as monoclonal antibodies — are expensive, scarce, and require administration in a hospital setting.

Peer-reviewed hydroxychloroquine study finds 84% fewer hospitalizations among early treated outpatients



A peer-reviewed study analyzing the effectiveness of a triple drug cocktail including hydroxychloroquine in treating COVID-19 patients found that the treatment was effective and that it significantly reduced hospitalization and mortality rates for those in the treatment group.

The study, authored by the controversial Dr. Vladimir Zelenko in partnership with two German doctors, was accepted for peer-review and will be published in the December issue of the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents. An online-only version of the study was published Oct. 26.

Dr. Zelenko and team, Drs. Roland Derwand and Martin Scholz, sought to describe the outcomes of high-risk patients with laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 who received early treatment with zinc, low-dose hydroxychloroquine, and azithromycin. A total of 141 diagnosed COVID-19 patients were prescribed the triple treatment over a five-day period. They were compared with a control group of 377 confirmed COVID-19 patients who did not receive the treatment.

The study found that treated patients were 84% less likely to be hospitalized than untreated ones. Of 141 treated patients, four were hospitalized, which was significantly fewer than 58 of 377 untreated patients who were sent to the hospital. Additionally, the mortality rate for treated patients was lower. Only one patient in the treatment group died versus 13 patients in the untreated group. The patient who died had a history of cancer and only took one daily dose of the triple therapy before hospital admission.

The anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine has been the subject of intense public debate after President Donald Trump championed it as a potential "game changer" in March just after the onset of the pandemic. Earlier studies conducted in April and May found that the drug had no positive impact on patients. Another study published in Lancet claimed that the drug could be dangerous for some patients, but was later retracted by its authors. A more recent study published in November found patients treated with hydroxychloroquine showed no signs of significant improvement in "clinical status" compared with those given a placebo.

Zelenko and his co-authors claim that their research differentiates itself from other studies that have shown mixed or negative results for hydroxychloroquine by focusing on outpatients treated at an early stage of the disease.

"All studies that used HCQ with rather contradictory results were in hospitalized and often sicker patients," the study notes. Additionally, this study focuses on using hydroxychloroquine in combination with zinc and azithromycin, where other studies may have analyzed the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine by itself.

"What differentiates this study is that patients were diagnosed very early with COVID-19 in an outpatient setting, and only high-risk patients were treated early on," Derwand said in a news release about the study.

"It's unfortunate that much of the media coverage surrounding hydroxychloroquine has been negative. These three medications are affordable, available in pill form, and work in synergy against COVID-19," Zelenko said. "Hydroxychloroquine's main role is to allow zinc to enter the cell and inhibit the virus' reproduction. And azithromycin prevents secondary bacterial infection in the lungs and reduces the risk of pulmonary complications."

"This is the first study with COVID-19 outpatients that shows how a simple-to-perform outpatient risk stratification allows for rapid treatment decisions shortly after onset of symptoms," Scholz added. "The well-tolerated 5-day triple therapy resulted in a significantly lower hospitalization rate and less fatalities with no reported cardiac side effects compared with relevant public reference data of untreated patients. The magnitude of the results can substantially elevate the relevance of early use, low-dose hydroxychloroquine, especially in combination with zinc. This data can be used to inform ongoing pandemic response policies as well as future clinical trials."

Evangelical leaders warn Christians not to politicize COVID, urge them to wear masks and get a vaccine when available



Thousands of people, including hundreds of high-profile evangelical Christian leaders in the realms of religion and science, have jumped on board a statement urging fellow believers to avoid politicizing the coronavirus and to take specific steps, like wearing a mask, getting a vaccine, and correcting misinformation, to help slow the spread of COVID. The document was posted by a Christian organization that focuses on coupling religious faith and science.

The organization, BioLogos, which was founded by Christian geneticist and U.S. National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins, posted its document, "A Christian Statement on Science for Pandemic Times," last week. Since then, more than 5,000 people have signed on.

Prominent signatories include author Philip Yancey, National Association of Evangelicals President Walter Kim, Christianity Today CEO Timothy Dalrymple, Fuller Theological Seminary President Mark Labberton, and conservative writer Peter Wehner.

What does the document say?

The BioLogos statement begins by calling on "all Christians to follow the advice of public health experts and support scientists doing crucial biomedical research on COVID-19" and urging the faithful to take seriously the scientific evidence researchers have found on COVID. Though the piece does acknowledge Christians may disagree on policy responses to the pandemic, it states that no Christian should polarize or politicize "science in the public square when so many lives are at stake."

The statement admits Christians are often right to be skeptical when scientists act like experts outside their professional areas, but when it comes to COVID, "Christians should listen to scientists and doctors when they speak in their area of expertise, especially when millions of lives are at stake."

What do the document creators want people to do?

Before specifically listing what good Christians should do, the people behind the document say religious folks should listen to those whom the organization has deemed the right "experts" on the matter, especially Dr. Anthony Fauci.

"[W]hen Dr. Fauci, the nation's leading infectious disease expert, tells us what scientists have learned about this infectious disease, he should be listened to," the document states.

Then the statement lists five items — complete with scripture references — signers are vowing to do "because of our faith in Jesus Christ" once they place their names on the document.

Item No. 1: Wear masks

Wear masks in indoor public spaces and follow other physical distancing rules given by public health officials (1 Peter 2:13-17), unless there are underlying health conditions. Yes, wearing a mask is uncomfortable and awkward, but the evidence is clear that masks reduce the chance we will transmit the disease to others. Mask rules are not experts taking away our freedom, but an opportunity to follow Jesus' command to love our neighbors as ourselves (Luke 6:31).

Item No. 2: Get vaccinated

Get vaccinated against COVID-19 when a safe and effective vaccine is available and as directed by a physician. A large fraction of the population needs to be vaccinated to develop the “herd immunity" which protects the immuno-compromised and others who cannot be vaccinated. Vaccination is a provision from God that will prevent disease not only for ourselves but for the most vulnerable among us (Matthew 25:31-36).

Item No. 3: Correct misinformation

Correct misinformation and conspiracy theories when we encounter them in our social media and communities. Christians are called to love the truth; we should not be swayed by falsehoods (1 Corinthians 13:6). We will actively promote accurate scientific and public health information from trustworthy, consensus sources, and use this information when making decisions for our families, churches, schools, and workplaces.

Item No. 4: Work for justice

Work for justice for communities who have suffered the most deaths from COVID-19. Christians are called to be courageous in fighting for justice (Micah 6:8). We should be the least indifferent to the disadvantaged and vulnerable. Groups that have been hit hard include the elderly in nursing homes, the Navajo nation where many do not have access to clean water, and people of color who continue to experience discrimination in access to health care.

Item No. 5: Pray

We pray for God to heal the millions of sick, to comfort the thousands of grieving families, and to give wisdom to decision-makers. We pray for God to sustain biomedical and public health researchers as they work to develop treatments and a safe and effective vaccine. We pray for God to protect nurses, doctors, lab techs, and all healthcare workers fighting COVID-19 as they serve patients and our communities. And we pray for God to bless our cities and nation with justice and flourishing for all (Jeremiah 29:7).

Read the entire statement here.

(H/T: Christian Post)

President Trump touts convalescent plasma as 'major therapeutic breakthrough' for COVID-19



President Donald Trump announced a "major therapeutic breakthrough" regarding COVID-19 on Sunday. The president heralded the emergency authorization for convalescent plasma therapy as a coronavirus treatment that is "very effective."

"Today I am pleased to make a truly historic announcement in our battle against the China virus that will save countless lives," Trump said at a White House press briefing. "Today's action will dramatically increase access to this treatment."

"Based on the science and the data, the FDA has made the independent determination that the treatment is safe and very effective," Trump said.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization for the use of convalescent plasma as a COVID-19 treatment. Convalescent plasma therapy was greenlit by the FDA based on preliminary data, but is still undergoing testing.

FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn said convalescent plasma reduced the COVID-19 morality rate by 35% in early findings.

"I am committed to releasing safe and potentially helpful treatments for COVID-19 as quickly as possible in order to save lives," Hahn said. "We're encouraged by the early promising data that we've seen about convalescent plasma."

"The FDA's emergency authorization for convalescent plasma is a milestone achievement in President Trump's efforts to save lives from COVID-19," Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said. "The Trump Administration recognized the potential of convalescent plasma early on."

"We dream in drug development of something like a 35% mortality reduction," Azar said. "This is a major advance in the treatment of patients."

The FDA said convalescent plasma "may be effective in treating COVID-19 and that the known and potential benefits of the product outweigh the known and potential risks of the product."

Over 70,000 U.S. patients have been given convalescent plasma as part of an expanded access program from the FDA and the Mayo Clinic, officials told the Washington Post.

Mayo Clinic researchers and collaborators found convalescent plasma "to be safe following transfusion in a diverse group of 20,000 patients."

JUST IN: President Trump announces FDA's authorization of COVID-19 plasma treatment https://t.co/unOyNteLA5 https://t.co/hfqNH4pRnV
— The Hill (@The Hill)1598218829.0

Convalescent plasma is blood plasma extracted from a human patient who has recovered from a disease and given to a patient who is battling the same disease.

Convalescent plasma provides passive immunity, which means that the body doesn't create its own antibodies. Instead, the body borrows the antibodies from the plasma of the patient who fought off the disease. Convalescent plasma is different than a vaccine, which is active immunity, because the borrowed antibodies don't last a lifetime, but can be a lifesaving treatment.

"Convalescent plasma has been used throughout history when confronting an infectious disease where you have people who recover and there's no other therapy available," according to Warner Greene, director of the Center for HIV Cure Research at the Gladstone Institutes. "There must be something in their plasma—i.e. an antibody—that helped them recover."

Convalescent plasma has been used for over a century, and cut the fatality rate in half during the Spanish flu, also known as the 1918 influenza pandemic. It was also effective against polio before there was a vaccine. However, it was not successful against Ebola.

There are nearly 5.7 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States.

The potential of convalescent plasma therapy for COVID-19 patients www.youtube.com

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