An inexpensive drug used to treat parasitic infections killed the
coronavirus that causes COVID-19 in less than 48 hours in a laboratory setting, Australian researchers say.
ivermectin, has been used widely used for decades. It was introduced as a veterinary drug in the 1970s. Doctors also prescribe it to treat head lice, scabies, and other infections caused by
parasites. According to a report published online in the journal
Antiviral Research, the drug quickly prevented replication of
SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The study has been peer-reviewed and accepted for publication, although it is not yet a "definitive" version of record.