Meme Falsely Quotes Drew U. Nobel Prize Winner Saying Ivermectin Cures COVID

MADISON, NJ — Dr. William Campbell won a Nobel Prize for the discovery of ivermectin. But the Madison University fellow associate spoke out when somebody horsed around with his name and picture to make it appear he endorsed the drug against COVID-19.

A viral meme circulated with a picture of Campbell and the following text: "My name is William Campbell, in 2015 I won the Nobel prize in medicine for the discovery of Ivermectin. The fake news and big pharma want you to live in fear. Fauci won't promote Ivermectin because he is the little parasite it destroys."

Campbell did not say that, and he released a statement via the university rejecting any connection to the meme.

“I utterly despise and deny the remarks attributed to me on social media on September 8, 2021,” Campbell wrote. “I reject both the substance and the tone of the remarks, and resent their presentation as a direct quotation. The tweet in question was not concerned with science. I am a biologist with no claim to expertise in the clinical evaluation of drugs against viral infections. Thus, I have not taken a stand in support of, or against, the efficacy of ivermectin against COVID-19.”

The Washington Post's Fact Checker page first brought a misleading tweet into the mainstream media after Campbell, via university officials, established that its contents were false. The university immediately reported the tweet for impersonating an individual and citing misleading and potentially harmful misinformation.

Twitter removed the tweet as of Friday.

Campbell and Satoshi Omura won the 2015 Nobel Prize in Medicine for discovering ivermectin, a drug that treats parasitic infections such as river blindness. Ivermectin has recently been suggested as an alternative treatment or preventative measure against COVID-19, a theory that has not been scientifically validated.

Certain animal formulations of ivermectin, such as pour-on, injectable, paste and "drench," are approved in the United States to treat or prevent parasites in animals, according to the FDA. The agency has approved ivermectin tablets for humans at very specific doses to treat some parasitic worms and topical formulations for head lice and skin conditions like rosacea.

Overdosing on ivermectin can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, hypotension (low blood pressure), allergic reactions (itching and hives), dizziness, ataxia (problems with balance), seizures, coma and death, according to the FDA.

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