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Subcommittee pauses debate on bill to make ivermectin over the counter after mixed testimony
Summary
Representative Kilmartin introduced H4042 to allow over-the-counter sales of ivermectin; supporters cited safety record and access, while medical groups warned against OTC use for COVID and noted reports of poisonings; the subcommittee adjourned debate to gather pharmacist and stakeholder input.
Representative Kilmartin presented House Bill H4042 to allow over-the-counter access to ivermectin for human use, arguing the medication has a long safety record, low cost and broad global use. "Ivermectin is a Nobel recognized safe, inexpensive, non-addictive medication originally created for humans," Kilmartin said in sponsor remarks.
Supporters described delays and access problems in obtaining prescriptions; Sarah Wright and other witnesses urged the committee to follow other states that have loosened dispensing rules. They framed the bill as expanding medical choice and access for rural and low-income residents.
Medical organizations pushed back. Dr. Martha Edwards, representing the South Carolina chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said oral ivermectin is not effective against COVID-19, described recent poison-control reports and hospitalizations tied to misuse, and warned of drug-drug interactions that could be missed if the drug were sold OTC. "Ivermectin is not effective against covid," Edwards said in testimony, and she urged the committee to oppose making it available without prescription for the uses proponents cited.
Committee members agreed to adjourn debate on H4042 and to solicit additional testimony from pharmacists and other stakeholders before deciding whether to move the bill forward. The chair made a personal commitment to bring additional pharmacy input to the next subcommittee meeting.
