Jail inmates with COVID given drug that "can cause serious harm"
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A real ivermectin prescription given to a Washington County employee in Arkansas. / Credit: Eva Madison
Eva Madison, a county elected official, raised the issue during a
finance and budget committee meeting Tuesday night. Jail officials were presenting their 2022 budget, which included the jail's physician, Dr. Rob Karas, asking for a 10% increase in the medical services contract.
Madison informed committee members and the jail officials that a county employee, who has opted to stay anonymous to the public, told her that he had been sent to the jail's clinic to get tested for COVID-19.
When the person tested negative,
they were given a $76 prescription for ivermectin. He was concerned about the prescription and asked his primary care physician about it, and the the physician told him to "throw that in the trash," Madison said.
While this individual "had the good fortune to have a physician that he could go to and ask for a second opinion," Madison said at the meeting, "our inmates do not have that choice."
Karas Health Care, Dr. Karas' practice, has been touting ivermectin for months. On July 16, the practice posted on Facebook, "if anybody you know test positive send them or [sic] way and we'll get them started on doxy, singular, ivermectin, vitamin d, vitamin c and zinc."
The post was flagged by Facebook with the message: "Some unapproved COVID-19 treatments may cause serious harm."
Madison told CBS News on Wednesday that after learning of the prescription, she contacted the county sheriff, Tim Helder.
"The sheriff defended it, said that Karas has been regularly prescribing ivermectin at the jail during the pandemic," Madison said.
CBS News has reached out to the Washington County Sheriff's Office and Karas Health Care for comment.
Madison said that when she spoke to Karas, he confirmed he had been prescribing the medicine to detainees at the jail, and that he and his family members were also taking it.
"It's very disturbing to me that that's the level of care we're providing to folks down at the jail," Madison said at Tuesday's meeting.
The jail representatives at the meeting said that the only oversight of the doctor's practices was the state medical board, which issued his license.
"He's state licensed, board approved," one of the officials said.
If inmates have concerns about their medical care, he said, "certainly they can write a letter or address the state board of health about any concern they have about any physician."