Just In Case You Were Wondering, It's Not a Good Idea to Swallow Tapeworms You Purchased Online to Lose Weight

We had no idea buying tapeworms online and swallowing them in a bid to lose weight was a thing. Thanks Internet.

Somewhere in Iowa recently, a patient told her doctor that she had purchased a tapeworm on the Internet and ingested it. The physician called the Iowa Department of Public Health to ask what to do for her. The department’s medical director, Dr. Patricia Quinlisk, advised to prescribe an anti-worm medication. Quinlisk recounted the incident Thursday in a weekly email to public health workers around the state. She noted that websites have been selling tapeworms as a weight-loss tool, and she warned against the practice. “Ingesting tapeworms is extremely risky and can cause a wide range of undesirable side effects, including rare deaths,” she wrote. “Those desiring to lose weight are advised to stick with proven weight loss methods — consuming fewer calories and increasing physical activity.” Tapeworms are parasites that can live in the intestines of animals and humans. They can be accidentally ingested in undercooked meat.

source: Des Moines Register