FACT CHECK: Did Fox News Tweet About Studies That Link Ivermectin To Incontinence?
An image shared on Facebook purportedly shows a Fox News tweet about new studies that show “68% of those who used ivermectin to treat or prevent Covid are suffering long-term bowel and urinary incontinence.”
Verdict: False
The tweet is digitally fabricated. There are no studies about such a finding.
Fact Check:
The Food and Drug Administration recommends against the use of ivermectin as a treatment for COVID-19. Despite the advisory, hundreds of U.S. physicians were prescribing it for COVID-19 prevention earlier this year, USA Today reported.
A screen grab shared on Facebook purportedly shows a tweet from conservative pundit Candace Owens commenting on a May 12 Fox News tweet about recent studies that established a link between ivermectin and incontinence. “Ivermectin’s hidden cost: New studies show that 68% of those who used ivermectin to treat or prevent Covid are suffering long-term bowel and urinary incontinence,” reads the alleged Fox News tweet.
The tweet is digitally fabricated. It does not appear on the outlet’s verified Twitter account or on any archives of its page from May 12. There is likewise no mention of such studies in any of Fox News’ social media posts or on the outlet’s website.
A Fox News spokesperson confirmed in an email to Check Your Fact that the tweet in question is not authentic. (RELATED: Do Unvaccinated People Not Spread COVID-19?)
A recent study of ivermectin’s effectiveness against COVID-19 revealed it did not reduce the risk of hospitalization or provide any notable benefit, according to a report from The New York Times. Neither the report nor the study makes any mention of the drug being linked to incontinence. Check Your Fact found no scientific studies or credible news reports about any link between ivermectin and incontinence.
Check Your Fact previously debunked a claim from September 2021 that suggested a study found that the drug made 85 percent of men sterile.