Just two months after researchers said that Ivermectin has “no effect whatsoever” on COVID-19, the now-bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX gave the group $18 million.

“Interesting that the ‘science’ we are supposed to be following on Ivermectin turns out to be riddled with FTX money,” said evolutionary biologist Bret Weinstein, a strong advocate for Ivermectin as a treatment for COVID. 

“It’s probably just a coincidence that has nothing to do with the utterly indefensible methods, sensational headlines and still-secret datasets,” he added.

The TOGETHER COVID 19 clinical trials group identifies as an “international research collaboration.” Researchers focus on potential COVID treatments and prevention medicines. The group was created in 2020 with start-up money from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Researchers have completed nine studies to date, led by Brazilian Dr. Gilmar Reis.

Last week, TOGETHER scrubbed FTX from its website, just like the WEF did earlier this month. Nonetheless, in May 2022, the FTX Foundation gave TOGETHER more than $18 million in funding. 

“Partnering with innovative thinkers at the FTX Foundation allows the rapid expansion of our trial that will have major benefits to public health around the world. With the support of the FTX Foundation, we can now also start evaluating drugs for future pandemics,” stated TOGETHER’s researcher and McMaster professor, Dr. Edward Mills.

Two months prior, on March 30, TOGETHER concluded a study that indicated Ivermectin isn’t effective to treat COVID.  

Some experts criticized the methods used to conduct the study. In June, the nonprofit World Council for Health suggested there were “major discrepancies” and gaps in datasets, as Weinstein said.

“A breaking development has highlighted the probability of scientific misconduct associated with this trial, when the manager of the International COVID-19 Data Alliance (ICODA) confirmed that its website, to which the TOGETHER trial has been directing inquiries for deidentified patient data since the study’s publication on March 30, never actually hosted the study’s data.” [Emphasis in original]

However, TOGETHER’s researcher Dr. Gilmar Reis defended his team and the study. 

Last week, the FDA seemed to backtrack on its guidance regarding Ivermectin, at least legally. After podcaster Joe Rogan took Ivermectin to treat his COVID infection, the FDA mocked the idea on Twitter and suggested the drug is only for horses. 

However, the Epoch Times reports that during a legal hearing, government lawyers representing the FDA said their guidance was only a recommendation.