Three Alberta farm supply stores have told CBC News they've received an influx of calls from people looking to buy the livestock dewormer ivermectin, due to false claims that the apple-flavoured paste will cure or prevent COVID-19.

Ivermectin can be used to treat parasites in humans and animals, but the livestock form of the drug should never be used on humans. No clinical studies have proven if ivermectin can slow or stop the spread of COVID-19 in humans — and the World Health Organization has told people not to use it for COVID-19 outside of scientific trials.

But that hasn't stopped people from trying. And some are making themselves sick.

Today, Time magazine journalist Vera Bergengruen on how ivermectin became the latest trend in COVID-19 misinformation.