LITTLE ROCK, AR -- Chris Jones, Democratic candidate for Governor of Arkansas, called on the Washington County Sheriff’s Office to end the highly unethical use of ivermectin in its detention centers. Ivermectin is not an antiviral drug nor a proven method to combat COVID-19 in infected patients; it is a drug most commonly used to treat parasites in livestock. 

“This use of ivermectin in our prison system is dangerous, cruel and must stop immediately,” said Dr. Chris Jones. “These are human beings, made in the likeness of God. They are not animals, and should not be treated as such.”

“Any serious candidate for Governor, including Sarah Huckabee Sanders, should condemn this practice. This is not a debate that a leader in good conscience can back out of. Leaders face hard questions and stand up for what is right and decent. They know that inmates are someone's children, parents, siblings and friends. Surely we can all agree that any human deserves better than this. Sadly, this poor health care decision is a consequence of misinformation and conspiracy theories, which are the results of those who seek to divide us."  

On Tuesday evening, Washington County Sheriff Tim Helder confirmed to the Quorum Court that Karas Correctional Health, the county’s medical provider for the Detention Center, is treating COVID-19 patients with ivermectin. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved ivermectin for treatment of COVID-19 and has warned improper use of this drug is “dangerous” and “can cause serious harm.”