Wyoming committee hears debate on bill to protect off‑label prescribing

The Labor, Health & Social Services Committee considered House Bill 164, a measure that would permit prescribers to lawfully prescribe U.S. Food and Drug Administration‑approved drugs for off‑label indications and authorize pharmacists to dispense those drugs under a valid prescription, committee members were told.

Representative Gary Brown, sponsor for House District 41, and former Representative Sarah Penn, who originally carried the measure, told the committee the bill updates statute to define prescribers and pharmacists, list exceptions and provide disciplinary protections for clinicians who prescribe or dispense off‑label when acting within their scope of practice.

Supporters said the change would protect clinical judgment, improve patient access and remove fear of professional retaliation that they say surfaced during the COVID‑19 pandemic. Opponents — including representatives of hospitals, pharmacies and a reproductive‑rights group — said the bill is unnecessary, could create enforcement headaches and might limit employers’ ability to manage formularies or discipline staff.

The bill text presented to the committee defines prescribers to include physicians, physician assistants, dentists, optometrists and advanced practice registered nurses and authorizes pharmacists…