No one who wanted to use ivermectin felt compelled to prove efficacy.

Rather, they wanted to trial it against a novel disease for which there was no known cure and only an experimental therapeutic made available.

The whole mess devolved into a pointless argument over allowing or disallowing those who wanted to try it to do so.

Acetaminophen in substantial quantity can be an overdose, yet it is an OTC pharma. Ivermectin was prescribed in known safe and standard dosing, but pharmacists were convinced to refuse to fill prescriptions. That was complete dereliction of care and ethics on the part of participants, and all against those who wished to try it against no good alternative.

The behavior surrounding ivermectin has been pernicious.