'Substantial' increase in calls to Alberta poison info line about unapproved COVID-19 remedy

Calls to Alberta’s poison and drug information service regarding the use of an unapproved remedy for COVID-19 are rising, say Alberta experts.

Calls to Alberta’s poison and drug information service regarding the use of an unapproved remedy for COVID-19 are rising, say Alberta experts.

Dr. Mark Yarema, medical director of Alberta Health Services’ poison and drug information service shared with CTV News Edmonton that since May 2016, the poison and drug information service – which serves Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and some territories – received 57 calls relating to some level of exposure to Ivermectin.

Of those 57 calls, 22 of them have been in 2021 – including 18 in Alberta and two in Saskatchewan.

The poison and drug information service received 13 calls in the past five weeks alone.

“We consider that quite substantial,” Yarema said. “The nature of many these calls over the past five weeks has been Ivermectin use or prophylaxis treatment for COVID-19.”

Substantial enough that Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw spent time during her COVID-19 update Thursday afternoon to dispel misinformation spreading online about Ivermectin’s use for COVID-19.

“Despite what you may hear on social media, the evidence from extensive, high-quality scientific research around the world has not shown that Ivermectin works for COVID-19,” Hinshaw said.