In the United States, 3mg is the approved tablet strength for oral ivermectin. Stromectol was originally licensed in this strength and every US generic followed it. Because a typical adult dose is 12 to 20 mg, a course is usually dispensed as a strip of several 3mg tablets taken together as one dose.
The strength reflects the indications ivermectin was registered for in the United States: intestinal strongyloidiasis at 200 mcg/kg and onchocerciasis at 150 mcg/kg. A 3mg unit divides cleanly into the doses those regimens produce across the full adult weight range, and it also allows paediatric dosing without splitting tablets.
The FDA label presents dosing as a table of tablet counts by weight band rather than as a milligram calculation, which is why US prescriptions typically read as a number of 3mg tablets.
| Body weight | Weight (lb) | 200 mcg/kg dose | 3mg tablets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15–24 kg | 33–53 lb | 3 mg | 1 |
| 25–35 kg | 55–77 lb | 6 mg | 2 |
| 36–50 kg | 79–110 lb | 9 mg | 3 |
| 51–65 kg | 112–143 lb | 12 mg | 4 |
| 66–79 kg | 145–174 lb | 15 mg | 5 |
| 80–94 kg | 176–207 lb | 18 mg | 6 |
| 95–109 kg | 209–240 lb | 21 mg | 7 |
| 110–125 kg | 242–276 lb | 24 mg | 8 |
All tablets in a dose are taken at the same time with water, not spread across the day.
The 3mg strength is the practical choice for children. Ivermectin is generally not given to children under 15 kg (33 lb) or under five years of age, because safety data in that group are limited — not because harm has been demonstrated, but because the trials were not done.
Above 15 kg, weight-based dosing applies as it does for adults. See ivermectin for children.
There is no clinical difference between four 3mg tablets and one 12mg tablet. The active ingredient, the excipient profile and the absorption behaviour are equivalent within normal manufacturing tolerance.
The practical differences are tablet count, price per milligram and dosing granularity. Where fine adjustment matters, 3mg wins. Where a straightforward adult dose is needed, 12mg means fewer tablets. See ivermectin 12mg tablets.
GMP-certified human formulations — tablets and 1% cream. Never veterinary products. Most USA orders ship within 1–7 business days, with tracking on every order.
View products and pricingAt 200 mcg/kg, a 60 kg (132 lb) adult needs four tablets, a 75 kg (165 lb) adult needs five, and a 90 kg (198 lb) adult needs six. The whole quantity is taken as a single dose.
Stromectol is the original brand. US generics are approved on the basis of demonstrated bioequivalence, meaning the same active ingredient is delivered to the bloodstream at an equivalent rate and extent. See our comparison page for detail.
Weight-based dosing applies above 15 kg (33 lb). Below that weight, or under five years of age, ivermectin is generally avoided because safety data are limited rather than because harm has been shown. This should always be a clinician decision.
Because the tablets are 3mg each and your weight-based dose is 24 mg. All eight are taken together as one dose, not one per day.