Social media post claims Oklahoma man died after doctors refused to treat his COVID-19 infection with ivermectin

A doctor with a large social media following shared a post claiming that an Oklahoma man died after doctors refused to treat his COVID-19 infection with ivermectin and instead treated him with remdesivir.

Recommendation: These types of posts may promote distrust in COVID-19 treatment options recommended by doctors and may encourage patients to seek out dangerous, unproven treatments for COVID-19. Talking points may emphasize that while vaccine opponents falsely claim that remdesivir kills COVID-19 patients, there is no evidence to support this claim. Additional messaging may emphasize that ivermectin is only FDA-approved to treat certain parasitic infections. It has been proven ineffective and is not FDA-approved to treat COVID-19. Taking ivermectin for off-label purposes can result in poisoning. The CDC recommends antiviral treatments—including remdesivir—that have been tested, determined to be safe, and proven effective in treating COVID-19 infections.