Joe Rogan says he has COVID-19 and is taking horse dewormer to treat it

Influential podcaster Joe Rogan announced on Wednesday that he tested positive for COVID-19 over the weekend, and as part of his treatment, has taken ivermectin, the anti-parasitic drug commonly used on livestock, though there is a version for humans.

In an Instagram video, the Joe Rogan Experience host said he felt "very weary" on Saturday, and was tested for COVID-19 on Sunday. That night, he "got fevers and sweats and I knew what was going on," he added. Once he was diagnosed with COVID-19, Rogan said he started taking antibiotics and monoclinal antibody therapy, as well as ivermectin.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned people against using ivermectin to treat COVID-19, as it isn't approved and a clinical trial "yielded insufficient evidence" it worked. The drug has been pushed by several right-wing cable and radio hosts, and public health officials say there has been a sharp increase in calls about ivermectin to poison control centers.

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During an April episode of his podcast, Rogan was asked if he would suggest a 21-year-old get vaccinated against COVID-19, and he said no, CNN reports. "If you're a healthy person, and you're exercising all the time, and you're young, and you're eating well, like, I don't think you need to worry about this," Rogan said. After the episode was released, Rogan stated he is "not an anti-vax person" and "not a respected source of information, even for me."