The American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas filed a federal lawsuit against the Washington County Detention Center (WCDC), Tim Helder, Sheriff of Washington County, and Dr. Robert Karas. The lawsuit charges the defendants for administering Ivermectin to incarcerated individuals without prior informed consent as to the nature, contents, or potential side effects of the drug.
Plaintiffs in the case include Edrick Floreal-Wooten, Jeremiah Little, Julio Gonzales, and Dayman Blackburn who allege they were deceived over a period of days and possibly weeks, regarding an unknown dose of Ivermectin. The lawsuit states they were told the alleged treatment consisted of “vitamins,” “antibiotics,” and/or “steroids.”
The lawsuit finds that incarcerated individuals were given Ivermectin as early as November 2020 and became aware of the treatment in July 2021. In August 2021 at a Quorum Court Finance & Budget Committee, Tim Helder confirmed that Karas Correctional Health had been prescribing Ivermectin as a treatment at WCDC.
The FDA has warned against using the drug to treat COVID-19, stating: "FDA has not approved Ivermectin for use in treating or preventing COVID-19 in humans. Ivermectin tablets are approved at very specific doses for some parasitic worms, and there are topical (on the skin) formulations for head lice and skin conditions like rosacea. Ivermectin is not an antiviral (a drug for treating viruses)."
The case was filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas.
