The court says patients have the right to full information and to refuse treatment, but not to receive treatment that goes against a hospital's policy.
David Wenner | dwenner@pennlive.com
A Perry County court was wrong to require UPMC Harrisburg Hospital to give ivermectin to a 74-year-old man who was severely ill with COVID-19, the Superior Court of Pennsylvania ruled this week. The case involved Glen Cauffman of Perry County, who developed COVID-19 symptoms around Dec. 22 and was admitted to the intensive care unit on Jan. 2, 2002, according to the Superior Court ruling signed on Thursday. Cauffman, who was given ivermectin over the objections of UPMC, died of COVID-19 in February.
Ivermectin is used to treat parasites in humans and animals but isn’t approved to treat COVID-19, with almost all doctors and medical organizations agreeing there’s no evidence it can help people with COVID-19, and might harm them. Despite this, it has been widely promoted as a cure for COVID-19, often by right-leaning politicians and online influencers.
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