[Anchor]
Scientists at Oxford University are set to start trialing a drug called ivermectin to see if it can help people dealing with COVID-19 at home.
Some doctors and health agencies have already been promoting the antiparasite medicine to treat the virus.
But its efficacy has yet to be proven in clinical trials.
The BBC's Rachel Schraer has more.
[Reporter]
Even though it hasn't yet been proven as a COVID treatment and global health agencies do not recommend it is used outside of clinical trials, there are some promising, early signs for the drug.
Now, scientists at the University of Oxford will start giving ivermectin to people over the age of 50 suffering at home with symptoms to see if it will help to keep them out of hospital.
If it works, and it's a big if, the hope is ivermectin could help make COVID-19 a less serious disease for the people most at risk from it.