Does Reuters engage in disingenuous political propaganda? Yesterday, they published a five-sentence article, which stated that Japanese researchers found Ivermectin to have “an anti-viral effect” against Covid-19. The article, which depicted Ivermectin in a positive way, was syndicated on media outlets worldwide. However, this information contradicts a popular narrative currently being promoted on social media by left-wing activists.
Suddenly Reuters transformed the article into another anti-Joe Rogan article.
Original Reuters Article:
This morning, Reuters transformed their original five-sentence article into an eleven-sentence article that attacks Joe Rogan and Donald Trump. The new version states that the original article mischaracterized the drug and also contradicts researchers who found hydroxychloroquine beneficial against Covid-19.
Ivermectin and Quinine:
In 2015, William C. Campbell and Satoshi Ōmura jointly won a Nobel Prize for their work with Ivermectin. While Ivermectin is primarily an anti-parasite drug, the research community widely sees it as having other applications. There are numerous scientific studies published that allege the drug shows promise in treating Covid-19.
Using anti-parasite drugs to treat viral infections is nothing new. Quinine, and its synthetic counterpart known as hydroxychloroquine, is the most popular anti-Malaria treatment globally. However, quinine has been widely used to treat cold and flu viruses for nearly 150 years. Quinine is sold as an over-the-counter treatment for viral colds in the USA, most commonly as “tonic water, but hydroxychloroquine requires a prescription. During the Asiatic Flu pandemic of 1899-1890, quinine was the most documented remedy in the Western world. Many researchers now believe that coronavirus OC43 was responsible for the Asiatic Flu.
During WWI and WWII, armed forces highly valued quinine as a cold and flu remedy. During WWII, when Germany shipped items to Japan in u-boats, quinine was one of the goods that Germany requested from Japan in return.
In 2020, researchers in several countries suggested that quinine/hydroxychloroquine could treat Covid-19, particularly the inflammation caused by severe cases. However, Reuters alleges that this is false and attacks Trump for promoting the drug as a treatment for Covid-19.
