What’s Behind the Ivermectin Frenzy?

<p>Ivermectin is a drug that emerged in the 1970s, used mainly for deworming horses and other livestock.</p><p>But during the pandemic, it has been falsely lauded in some corners as a kind of miracle cure for the coronavirus.</p><p>What is fueling the demand for a drug that the medical establishment has begged people not to take?</p><p>Guest: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/emma-goldberg">Emma Goldberg</a>, a writer for The New York Times. </p><p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/newsletters/signup/NTTD?smid=pc-thedaily">Sign up here</a> to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/newsletters/the-daily?module=inline">subscribe to our newsletter</a>. </p><p>Background reading: </p><ul><li>Public health warnings<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/05/us/ivermectin-health-experts.html"> against using the anti-parasitic ivermectin as a treatment for Covid-19</a> appear to have made little progress in stemming its popularity in parts of the United States.</li><li>Veterinarians, ranchers and farmers say they are<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/28/technology/ivermectin-animal-medicine-shortage.html"> struggling with the effects of the surging demand</a> for the drug.</li></ul><p>For more information on today’s episode, visit <a href="http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily">nytimes.com/thedaily</a>. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. </p>