An Ohio judge reversed an order issued two weeks ago, requiring a hospital to administer the livestock dewormer ivermectin to a patient admitted with coronavirus at the demand of his spouse, NBC News reports.
Two weeks ago, a different judge issued an injunction two weeks ago, ordering doctors at West Chester [Ohio] Hospital to treat 51-year-old Jeffrey Smith with ivermectin. Smith had been admitted July 9th and intubated August 1st. By the time Smith’s wife obtained the injunction to use the drug, his chance of survival was estimated by doctors to be 30%.
Julie Smith had obtained a prescription for ivermectin from Dr. Fred Wagshul, a Dayton doctor who has developed a following for prescribing ivermectin to coronavirus patients. Wagshul has no affiliation with West Chester Hospital.
“While this court is sympathetic to the plaintiff and understands the idea of wanting to do anything to help her loved one, public policy should not and does not support allowing physicians to try ‘any’ type of treatment on human beings,” Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Michael Oster Jr. wrote.
The ruling, however, is likely moot given that Smith has already received the full course of ivermectin. He reportedly remains intubated.