A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.
A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.
I am writing to express my concern about the September 5 opinion piece by Alexis Copland in your paper that promotes Ivermectin as a cure for Covid-19. This is irresponsible and dangerous misinformation. Ivermectin is an anti-parasitic drug that has not been shown to be effective against Covid-19. In fact,there is some evidence that it can actually be harmful.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved Ivermectin for use against Covid-19, and the World Health Organization (WHO) does not recommend it. Studies that supposedly support the use of Ivermectin for Covid-19 have been widely criticised by experts.
It is important to remember that Covid-19 is a serious disease that can be deadly. There are safe and effective treatments available, and it is irresponsible to promote unproven treatments that could put people’s health at risk. If you think you’re merely presenting another “valid” viewpoint, you are mistaken. A newspaper’s duty isn’t to report that some claim it’s raining while others disagree. Its role is to step outside and verify the weather.
In this instance, the newspaper fell short of its responsibility by publishing an article promoting an untested remedy for a grave illness. Such an act is both reckless and hazardous. I urge you to remove the opinion piece from your website and to publish a retraction. You have a responsibility to your readers to provide accurate and reliable information.
Footnote from Ed: The column by Alexis questions the process and the basis of studies that have been relied upon to discount Ivermectin as a treatment for Covid-19. If it is a promotional piece, it is for further study of this drug as a potential treatment using established protocols — and if then found to have good efficacy, a consideration of why this wasn’t found from the initial interest and trials.
A longer piece by Alexis was provided to the Ministry of Health for potential response about a month ago. The column that ran yesterday was sent to the MoH on Thursday afternoon last week to see if they would like to provide a response.
A ministry media adviser replied yesterday noting it had been published now and suggesting I check in with the Science Media Centre, who could point me towards some scientists or clinicians who can speak about this. That request has now been made.
