Doctor who says he gave ivermectin to rural Alberta COVID-19 patients triggers AHS warning | CBC News

Nagase also claims there is “something malicious” about the care being provided to COVID-19 patients in Alberta hospitals.

Ivermectin is used primarily to rid livestock of parasites. It has not been approved for use in either Canada or the United States for the treatment of coronaviruses and no clinical studies have proven whether it can slow or stop the spread of the novel coronavirus in humans. 

‘Extremely disappointing’

AHS has received complaints about Nagase, who has worked as a locum doctor at the Rimbey Hospital and Care Centre, 65 kilometres northwest of Red Deer. The health authority says his “extremely disappointing” claims are spreading misinformation.

“Neither the veterinary nor human drug versions of ivermectin has been deemed safe or effective for use in treating or preventing COVID-19,” reads an AHS statement issued earlier this week. 

“Use of the agricultural grade, or veterinary version, of ivermectin can pose potentially serious health problems if consumed by humans.”

CBC News repeatedly called Nagase’s office but was told that he would not be accepting interviews from CBC about his use of ivermectin or the claims made in the video.  

AHS said Nagase is “not scheduled to work as a locum in AHS” and added that because of the complaints, a review will be done.

In the video posted Monday, Nagase is shown delivering a speech on Oct. 1 at a Vancouver event marking the 75th anniversary of the Nuremberg Trials. 

WATCH: Doctor claims he treated COVID patients with ivermectin 

Doctor claims he treated patients with ivermectin

Alberta Health Services has issued a statement on this speech delivered by Dr. Daniel Nagase, describing it as misinformation. 11:23

In the video, Nagase said the three COVID-19 patients in Rimbey had “deteriorated overnight” and were being treated with oxygen and steroids.

Nagase said he asked for ivermectin to be provided by the Red Deer Hospital’s central pharmacy but was denied and warned the drug should not be used on COVID-19 patients. 

Nagase said he temporarily treated his patients with hydroxychloroquine — a controversial anti-malarial drug not approved for the treatment of COVID-19. 

“We didn’t have all day. My patients were sick so I started everyone on the next best thing — hydroxychloroquine, which the hospital did have. I also started vitamin C, vitamin D and zinc,” Nagase said in the video. 

Nagase said he sought out the help of a “town pharmacist” who acquired ivermectin for him. 

“He couldn’t get it from his usual chemical supply because it was a Saturday. He had to get it from an agricultural supply,” Nagase says in the video. “He went to the Co-op store.” 

In the video, Nagase claims the drug worked quickly on the patients, allowing all three to leave the hospital within a week. Two of the patients, he claims, were “almost completely better” within 18 hours. 

In the video, he claims provincial health officials are “withholding a life-saving medication from an entire province.” 

Nagase says that within hours of administering the ivermectin, an AHS medical director barred his patients from receiving from the drug or any of the other medications he had prescribed them.

He said he was removed from the hospital, and “relieved” of his medical duties the following day. 

“It is extremely disappointing that someone would spread misinformation about COVID-19 treatment in this way, and suggest that AHS is withholding treatment for patients,” AHS said. 

The B.C. College of Physicians and Surgeons lists Nagase, who graduated from Dalhousie University in 2004, as actively practising as a family physician in Vancouver.

In a statement to CBC News, the Alberta College of Physicians and Surgeons said it is aware of Nagase’s claims but can not disclose information related to matters that may be under investigation.

Ivermectin treats parasites, not viruses

Ivermectin has been used in veterinary medicine for more than 30 years.  The form of the drug used on humans is on the World Health Organization’s list of essential medicines.

The drug, however, is used to treat parasites — not viruses like COVID-19. 

The drug has been widely and wrongly promoted as a cure for COVID-19, leading to shortages of the drug in Canada for those who may need it. Quantities of the drug have been limited since January. 

Alberta’s poison hotline, the AHS Poison and Drug Information Service, has reported a recent spike in the number of calls from people who got sick after taking ivermectin. 

Health Canada recently issued an advisory asking people not to take the drug to treat COVID-19 after reports that some people were taking the veterinary form of the medicine.