COVID-19 patient receives ivermectin drug from Elmhurst Hospital after judge's order
CHICAGO - The first dose of ivermectin was administered by Elmhurst Hospital Monday night, three days after a judge ordered the hospital to honor a family's request to treat their mother.
Some doctors say ivermectin is a highly effective COVID treatment, but it is not approved for that use by the FDA.
"[Elmhurst Hospital] basically just shut it out. They will not allow a doctor to use one of the world's safest medicines despite the increasing amounts of evidence to show that it's effective," said Dr. Pierre Kory of the Frontline COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance (FCCCA).
The hospital initially refused to give 68-year-old Nurije Fype the drug, in defiance of a judge's orders. But her daughter Desi Fype said on Monday night, they reversed course and allowed an outside doctor to come in and administer the drug to her mother.
The FCCCA has released several studies it says show overwhelming evidence that ivermectin has "large-magnitude benefits" when it comes to fighting COVID.
"All independent groups of scientists, all concluding the same thing: that the evidence suggests that it should be the standard of care," Dr. Kory said.
The family attorney told FOX 32 after one dose of ivermectin Monday night, Nurije Fype is already showing signs of improvement.
Desi Fype of Elmhurst fought for days to get doctors at Elmhurst Hospital to treat her mother with ivermectin. Nurije Fype is in a medically induced coma at the hospital. Late last week, a judge ordered the hospital to administer the drug to Fype, but the family and their lawyers say the hospital continued to refuse until Monday night.
"We went to court," said Desi Fype. "We have a judge's order, so you have to comply with that."
"I think the judge's dismay and horror at what they're doing matches mine. It's inexcusable," said Dr. Kory. "They're behaving indefensibly when a woman's life is in the balance."
The FDA has a page on its website titled, "Why you should not use ivermectin to treat or prevent COVID-19." The page says the drug has only been approved at very specific doses to treat parasitic worms, and that it's dangerous at large doses.
For the second straight week, Elmhurst Hospital tells FOX 32 it still cannot comment on this story due to patient privacy regulations.