Joe Rogan taking unapproved deworming drug to treat Covid-19
- Joe Rogan taking antiparasitic medicine ivermectin, despite scant evidence of its effectiveness
- The star podcaster, who test positive for Covid-19, has regularly played down the need for vaccines
American podcast juggernaut Joe Rogan, who has tested positive for Covid-19, says he has taken a number of drugs to treat the virus, including the antiparasitic medicine ivermectin.
Rogan, whose podcast racks up millions of listens but who has faced criticism for suggesting young people need not get vaccinated against Covid-19, said this week he had tested positive for the virus.
Rogan broke the news to his 13.1 million Instagram followers, explaining that he felt sick with a headache on Saturday night upon returning from his comedy tour in Florida.
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“Just to be cautious, I separated from my family, slept in a different part of the house, and throughout the night I got fevers and sweats,” he said. “And I knew what was going on. So I got up in the morning, got tested – and turns out I got Covid.”
To treat his symptoms, which Rogan said only caused duress for one day on Sunday, the 54-year-old turned to the deworming medicine ivermectin. He also said he took monoclonal antibodies, which have been proven to work.
The drug, ivermectin, has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use by people and animals to treat parasitic infections, primarily in livestock. Using any treatment for Covid-19 that’s not approved or authorised by the FDA, unless part of a clinical trial, “can cause serious harm”, the agency said on its website.
“You are not a horse. You are not a cow. Seriously, y’all. Stop it,” the FDA tweeted last month.
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On his podcast, Rogan has described himself as not being “an anti-vax person” but has been regularly critical of mass vaccines needed for events, like comedy shows. Dr Anthony Fauci, the country’s top-ranking expert on infectious diseases, criticised Rogan’s stance on vaccines back in April.
Rogan told his followers Wednesday that his diagnosis forced him to reschedule his upcoming show in Nashville. “My apologies to everyone, obviously it’s nothing I can control. It is what it is, crazy times we’re living in,” he said on Instagram. “But a wonderful heartfelt thank you to modern medicine for pulling me out of this so quickly and easily.”
Rogan, the host for Fear Factor from 2001 to 2006, also regularly contributes as a host for UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) fights.
Additional reporting by Agence France-Presse
