Five detainees at the Washington County Detention Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas, filed a lawsuit after they received an undisclosed "cocktail" of drugs as COVID-19 treatment in August 2021. These detainees claimed to suffer side effects, including vision problems, stomach cramps, and diarrhea. They later discovered that they had been administered high doses of Ivermectin, a deworming drug.
The lawsuit targeted Robert Karas, the doctor responsible for the detainees' healthcare, along with the detention center and a former county sheriff. Last month, a settlement was reached, awarding each of the plaintiffs $2,000. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Arkansas celebrated this as a victory for civil rights and medical ethics.
Karas faced accusations of using Ivermectin inappropriately and conducting experiments on his patients. He had publicly promoted the use of Ivermectin on social media and requested clinical trial volunteers. The detainees were allegedly given doses several times higher than the recommended levels, with one receiving around six times the proper dosage for treating parasites. The lawsuit claimed that Karas treated all COVID-19 patients at the detention center with Ivermectin.
Despite the Arkansas State Medical Board investigating the matter and finding that proper consent forms were not signed by the detainees, no formal action was taken against Karas, who defended his treatment regimen and claimed the detention center was a safe place for COVID-19 patients.
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Link: Washington Post