(Canadian Press file photo)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

Doctor Worked at Rimbey Hospital

AHS blasts viral speech claiming ivermectin use at Rimbey Hospital

Oct 6, 2021 | 9:32 AM

Alberta Health Services is hitting back at what it calls more ‘extremely disappointing’ COVID-related misinformation.

This after an inflammatory blog post and video published Sunday from a doctor who worked in central Alberta claiming he used the livestock deworming medication ivermectin on COVID patients at Rimbey Hospital and Care Centre.

The blog, posted by a user named Brian Peckford, was followed up by a video of the speech published sometime Monday.

Peckford references Dr. Daniel Nagase, a physician he notes has worked in “rural underserviced communities throughout Alberta since 2015.” AHS confirms the doctor in question has worked at the Rimbey facility.

Peckford shares the transcript of a speech Nagase made Oct. 1 during an event outside the Vancouver Art Gallery marking the Nuremberg Trials’ 75^th anniversary. The event was organized by an organization called Common Ground, whose website talks about a ‘great reset.’

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The video shows the event took place, as well as a person introduced as Dr. Daniel Nagase, who makes the speech transcribed on Peckford’s site.

Before issuing a longer statement, Alberta Health Services told rdnewsNOW early Monday it was well aware of the various publications.

“The blog post details content from a speech given by a physician who has locum privileges with AHS. This physician is not scheduled to work as a locum in AHS. Generally, when AHS receives complaints or concerns related to the conduct of a physician, a review is undertaken as per the Medical Bylaws,” the health authority says.

“Neither the veterinary nor human drug versions of ivermectin has been deemed safe or effective for use in treating or preventing COVID-19. Use of the agricultural grade — or veterinary version — of ivermectin can pose potentially serious health problems if consumed by humans.”

In the speech, Nagase claims he administered ivermectin to three COVID patients in Rimbey, northwest of Red Deer. Nagase said the patients “deteriorated overnight” and were on oxygen.

This despite Red Deer Regional being the Central Zone hub hospital for COVID patients needing intensive care.

Nagase admits he requested ivermectin from Red Deer Regional’s pharmacy, and was denied, being told the drug has no place in COVID treatment, but then says a rogue pharmacist acquired it for him from an agricultural supply.

Within hours, Nagase says, an AHS medical director attended and shut down his use of the drug. He also claims other drugs were taken away and that the patients eventually left and were healthy within a week.

AHS emphasizes its doctors would not withhold suitable treatment from patients.

Due to confidentiality, AHS adds it cannot provide updates on the patients referred to in the original post.

“The AHS Scientific Advisory Group has conducted a review to explore using ivermectin in the treatment and prevention of COVID-19. There is no evidence that ivermectin in either human or animal formulation is safe or beneficial when used to prevent or treat COVID-19. More high-quality studies are needed to determine whether ivermectin is useful as treatment or prevention,” AHS adds.

“In alignment with Health Canada, the FDA, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta and the Alberta College of Pharmacy, AHS does not recommend the use of ivermectin to prevent or treat COVID-19. Other health authorities have taken a similar position, as have provincial regulatory bodies for physicians and pharmacists.”

Nagase is listed on the website for the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA) as practicing out of Vancouver. His profile lists no disciplinary actions, and notes he is a 2004 graduate of Dalhousie University. The same can be said for his profile on the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia’s website.

rdnewsNOW called Nagase’s Vancouver phone number listed by the CPSA, but didn’t receive an answer.

In a Sept. 1, 2021 article by The Canadian Press, Timothy Caulfield, a health law professor at the University of Alberta, said the attraction to ivermectin “mirrors what went on with hydroxychloroquine.”

“The evidence against it just so overwhelming that they have decided to put their energy in a new miracle drug — and that’s ivermectin and it’s doing real harm,” Caulfield said. “It highlights the power of an ideological lens to allow you to embrace information that is clearly wrong.”

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has a warning on its website against using ivermectin for COVID-19, while Health Canada issued an advisory in late August saying Canadians, “should never consume health products intended for animals.”