Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky is one of former President Donald Trump's most vocal defenders in Congress, especially in regards to Trump's handling of the pandemic that's killed over 600 thousand Americans.
As a result, Paul has frequently found himself at odds with medical experts like National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases director Dr. Anthony Fauci, and he's repeatedly railed against any and all efforts to regain control of the virus' spread—measures like mask mandates, vaccine outreach, and temporary shutdowns.
Recently, yet another bogus treatment and preventative "treatment" for the virus is making the rounds: ivermectin, the active ingredient in animal anti-parasite medications like horse dewormer.
While ivermectin has been prescribed as a coronavirus treatment in countries with limited access to vaccines and other treatments, the data on its effectiveness is inconclusive at best.
Nevertheless, claims of ivermectin's use in treating the virus were amplified through right-wing media outlets like Fox News, and some Americans have taken to administering it themselves. In Mississippi, one of the states hardest hit by the virus, at least 70 percent of recent calls to the state's poison control center were due to ivermectin-related illnesses.
Health officials at the state and federal levels have warned Americans not to take the drug, citing the dangers and unproven effectiveness.
Rand Paul, however, says fears surrounding ivermectin aren't due to safety concerns, but of hatred for Trump.
The Cincinatti Enquirer reported that Paul said at a recent town hall event:
"The hatred for Trump deranged these people so much that they're unwilling to objectively study [ivermectin]. So someone like me that's in the middle on it, I can't tell you because they will not study ivermectin. They will not study hydroxychloroquine without the taint of their hatred for Donald Trump."
In reality, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cited multiple studies to explain its reasoning for opposing ivermectin prescriptions for COVID-19 patients. Another bogus drug, pushed by former President Trump, was hydroxychloroquine which was routinely studied by government agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which concluded it to be ineffective.
The comments from Paul were out of touch with reality, and people soon called him out.
Ivermectin doesn\u2019t work. Hydroxychloroquine doesn\u2019t work. Bleach definitely is a very bad idea. What works are vaccines. As a former doctor Rand Paul should know this.https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1432353175776944132\u00a0\u2026— Jonathan Reiner (@Jonathan Reiner) 1630336305
Nah, that's not it.\nIt's simply because ivermectin is crap in treating COVID in HUMANS!\nEven an eye doctor should see thathttps://twitter.com/thehill/status/1432353175776944132\u00a0\u2026— Bj\u00f6rn Meyer (@Bj\u00f6rn Meyer) 1630342951
and allegiance to tump is killing people.https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1432353175776944132\u00a0\u2026— I have no use for religion (@I have no use for religion) 1630344453
Nah \u2026 I think it\u2019s the fact that we have at least 3 vaccines that work \u2026https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1432353175776944132\u00a0\u2026— Brandon Richards (@Brandon Richards) 1630337427
Their narrative is that every institution in society--ultimately, every person--outside of Donald Trump's political movement is an enemy. And that's used as their in-group loyalty signal. That it's absurd or even doesn't have anything to do with Trump is a feature, not a bug.https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1432353175776944132\u00a0\u2026— Andy Craig (@Andy Craig) 1630335053
This is infuriating. It has been studied and it continues to be studied in multiple places. He knows that; he has to know that.https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1432353175776944132\u00a0\u2026— Jon Becker (@Jon Becker) 1630335567
Many proceeded to roast the Senator.
In Rand Paul\u2019s defense, Ivermectin would work on him because it\u2019s meant to treat a horse\u2019s asshttps://twitter.com/guardian/status/1432309365520936960\u00a0\u2026— Jess Dweck (@Jess Dweck) 1630343434
So @RandPaul is telling us 2 things. (1) He's unfit to be called Doctor and needs his license revoked, and (2) he's a 1,000 pound horse (or cow, you decide).\n\nEither way, he's unfit to sit in the US Senate.https://twitter.com/guardian/status/1432309365520936960\u00a0\u2026— KMG365 \u2615 \ud83e\udd40 \ud83d\udc1d (@KMG365 \u2615 \ud83e\udd40 \ud83d\udc1d) 1630346920
Idk about y\u2019all but I prefer my infectious disease advice to come from an infectious disease expert\u2026 not some washed up non-board certified ophthalmologist #RandPaul #ivermectin #COVID19https://twitter.com/guardian/status/1432309365520936960\u00a0\u2026— Victoria Guillemard (@Victoria Guillemard) 1630345204
Though suggesting the promise of ivermectin, Paul continues to sow skepticism of vaccines.
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