Arizona bill would let people buy ivermectin without a prescription
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A mask shows support for ivermectin. Photo: David Ryder for The Washington Post via Getty Images
Republicans in Arizona and nationwide are trying to make it easier to get ivermectin, the controversial anti-parasitic drug widely used to treat livestock but embraced by some as a treatment during the pandemic.
Why it matters: Ivermectin was promoted largely by conservatives as a "miracle" drug amid the COVID-19 pandemic, despite multiple medical studies that found it isn't effective at treating the novel coronavirus, and repeated warnings from leading medical institutions outside of FDA-approved use. Still, it has persisted as an alternative treatment for COVID.
- The drug is approved for human use to treat parasitic worms and conditions such as head lice and rosacea, per the FDA.
State of play: Arizona State Rep. Nick Kupper (R- Surprise) sponsored a bill to make ivermectin that's formulated for human use available over the counter without a prescription or medical consultation.
- The measure has not yet been scheduled for a hearing.
The intrigue: Kupper, who did not respond to Axios' interview request, told Arizona's Family he introduced the bill in response to constituent interest in the drug, and he dismissed health concerns.
- "Think about how many energy drinks we drink every day. There's caffeine in coffee or vaping or smoking cigarettes. … These are all things that you don't need a prescription to get," Kupper told Arizona's Family.
The other side: Doctors and toxicologists, including the American Medical Association, American Pharmacists Association and American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, have widely cautioned against ivermectin use.
- During the pandemic, the Banner Poison and Drug Information Center in Phoenix and Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center in Tucson said they received several calls concerning ivermectin exposure.
- "Higher doses can cause significant illness in humans," Daniel Brooks, then the medical director of the Banner Poison and Drug Information Center, said in a 2021 statement.
Reality check: Will Humble, executive director for the Arizona Public Health Association, told Axios the bill is "performative."
- If it reaches Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs' desk, she'll almost certainly veto it, he said.
- Even so, it's unlikely that national chain pharmacies would stock the drug — even if given state approval — because of federal legal and licensure risks.
- Plus, people who really want ivermectin can already get it at many of Arizona's livestock supply stores without a prescription, because it's widely used for deworming horses.
Zoom out: At least five states have already legalized ivermectin sales without a prescription: Texas, Tennessee, Arkansas, Idaho and Louisiana.
- Republican Utah state Rep. Trevor Lee introduced a bill in his state, telling Axios it would expand medical freedom and align with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s "Make America Healthy Again" agenda.