The drug, typically meant for treating and preventing parasites in animals, is not an anti-viral medication and has caused people across the nation to be hospitalized after self-treatment,
according to the Federal Drug Administration.
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried also warned about the drug after a recent spike in poisonings reported across the state.
“The promotion of inappropriate use of this drug is irresponsible, reckless, and dangerous,”
Fried said. “There is no public health or scientific support for its use to treat or prevent COVID-19, and there are serious safety concerns when it comes to self-medicating and humans using medications intended for animals. Individuals should look to their medical doctors when it comes to medical treatments – not online quacks.”