FLCCC Alliance Response to Merck’s public statements on ivermectin’s efficacy in COVID-19
The FLCCC Alliance wishes to respond to Merck’s public statements on February 4th, claiming a lack of sufficient evidence for ivermectin’s efficacy in COVID-19.* Merck’s assessments of ivermectin’s efficacy in COVID-19 are in striking contrast with the findings reported by multiple expert group’s systematic reviews from across the globe, including metaanalyses of the updated scientific literature: a. The Front-Line Covid-19 Critical Care Alliance1 b. UNITAID/W.H.O Expert Consultant, Dr. Andrew Hill2 c. The Evidence Based Medicine Consultancy3 d. The National Institutes of Health Treatment Guidelines Panel4 e. Kalfas et al, University of Melbourne5 f. Padhy et al, All India Institute of Medical Sciences6 g. Covid-19 Study Group at https://ivmmeta.com/7 h. University of Lyon Dept. of Pharmacology: www.metaevidence.org8 Merck Statement 1: “No scientific basis for a potential therapeutic effect against COVID-19 from pre-clinical studies.”
FLCCC Response:
The above publications cite in vitro and animal studies demonstrating anti-viral and anti-inflammatory mechanisms of action with ivermectin.9-14 Further, eight trials in COVID-19 patients reported a dose-dependent significant reduction in both viral load and time to viral clearance.
2 Merck Statement 2: “No meaningful evidence for clinical activity or clinical efficacy in patients with COVID-19 disease.”
FLCCC Response:
The above publications cite ten trials that consistently reported a sizable significant reduction in time to clinical recovery, length of hospitalization, or mortality.2,15-18 Further, epidemiologic analyses reported consistent and large population-wide reductions in case-fatality rates and excess deaths in regions with ivermectin distribution campaigns .19 — * https://www.merck.com/news/merck-statement-on-ivermectin-use-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/
3 Merck Statement 3: “A concerning lack of safety data in the majority of studies.”
FLCCC Response: The above publications cite numerous safety studies over decades of use, reporting an extremely low incidence of severe side effects.20,21 Further, many studies and case series demonstrate the safety of both escalating and prolonged dosing of ivermectin in both healthy and ill patients.22,23 Unfortunately, Merck’s website did not provide the scientific data or bibliography to support its brief posted statements. The above reviewed in vitro, clinical, and epidemiologic evidence indicates that the current evidence base strongly contradicts Merck’s conclusions. Merck’s stated mission is “to discover, develop and provide innovative products and services that save and improve lives around the world.” Merck’s historic impact on the discovery of ivermectin and their subsequent decision to donate hundreds of millions of doses to W.H.O programs led to the eradication of a scourge of parasitic diseases across many parts of the world.24
Many experts recognized Merck’s partnership with public health care agencies decades ago as one of last century’s most significant medical accomplishments. We remind Merck of the words of their founders’ son, George W. Merck, who, in 1950, stated, “We try never to forget that medicine is for the people. It is not for profits. The profits follow, and if we have remembered that they have never failed to appear. The better we have remembered it, the larger they have been”.
Our sincere hope is that the mounting evidence in favor of ivermectin’s efficacy and safety in COVID-19 will lead Merck to support the design and conduct of ethically appropriate clinical trials to identify the best timing, dose, and duration of ivermectin in the prophylaxis and treatment of COVID-19. Now more than ever, during the worst pandemic of the last 100 years, the world would benefit from Merck’s scientists and organization’s resources to advance knowledge with the hope of recreating in this century the most significant medical accomplishments of the last century.
Sincerely,
The Front Line Covid-19 Critical Care Alliance
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