The ICON study led by Rajter in Florida, published in Chest, showed ivermectin had over a 50% reduction in mortality for hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Nov 7, 2026

Previously: The ICON study led by Rajter in Florida, published in Chest, showed ivermectin had over a 50% reduction in mortality for hospitalized COVID-19 patients. [Distorted]: Dr. McCullough correctly says the ICON study in Chest (first author Rajter, not Raster) was not randomized. It reported death rates of 15.0% with ivermectin versus 25.2% without, and 13.3% versus 24.5% in the matched comparison. That is about a 40 to 46% lower risk, so 'over 50%' only fits the odds ratio. It was also an observational hospital review with confounding concerns, and large randomized trials such as ACTIV-6 later found ivermectin did not cut hospitalizations or deaths. This would be wrong if randomized trials had confirmed a mortality benefit of 50% or more for ivermectin.

Now: The ICON study led by Rajter in Florida, published in Chest, showed ivermectin had over a 50% reduction in mortality for hospitalized COVID-19 patients. [Distorted]: ICON was a retrospective observational study, as McCullough acknowledges. It reported lower mortality with ivermectin, including 13.3% versus 24.5% after matching; this is about a 46% relative risk reduction, while the matched odds ratio was 0.47. Unmeasured confounding remained possible. Its authors called for randomized trials. It does not establish the universal life-saving treatment effect claimed in the discussion.

Use ICON itself; distinguish relative risk from odds and association from causation without claiming outpatient trials directly replicated it.