The Medical Advisor

Introduction Ivermectin is an antiparasitic drug widely recognized—second only to penicillin—for having one of the greatest impacts on human health. Its discovery was honored with the Nobel Prize in 2015, reflecting its profound significance. Originally developed to treat parasitic infections such as river blindness (onchocerciasis) and intestinal strongyloidiasis, ivermectin’s list of medical indications has expanded due to its notable antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. It is also included on the  WHO’s Model List of Essential Medicines .  Several studies  reported antiviral effects of ivermectin on RNA viruses such as  dengue , Zika, yellow fever, West Nile, Hendra, Newcastle, Venezuelan equine encephalitis, chikungunya, Semliki Forest, Sindbis, Avian influenza A, Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome, Human immunodeficiency virus type 1, and COVID 19 virus. More recently, ivermectin has garnered attention for its potential role in cancer treatment...