Senate hearing on bill to authorize ivermectin dispensing draws personal testimony and questions

Senate Bill 249, a proposal to authorize dispensing ivermectin without a prescription, drew extended sponsor testimony and sustained questioning at the Senate Health Committee hearing.

A sponsor described a personal cancer diagnosis and said ivermectin and related agents became part of a treatment protocol; the sponsor said pharmacies refused to fill the prescription and that the bill follows models in other states to make the drug more accessible under a pharmacy protocol. The sponsor stated that the measure mirrors Tennessee's approach and asserted that ivermectin "has consistently shown to be safe and well tolerated to humans" and that the cosponsor provided ten studies showing safety and efficacy for committee review.

Dr. Johnson, introduced to address technical matters, emphasized the need to work with the Board of Pharmacy and the State Medical and Nursing Boards to develop a protocol and to protect the public. Dr. Johnson said the compacted approach would include fact sheets and dosing guidance to be delivered by pharmacies, and he urged careful rulemaking rather than unfettered over‑the‑counter sales.

Committee members raised questions on whether pharmacists and the Board of Pharmacy had been consulted, how prescribers would be defined under the protocol, age limits and patient safety concerns, and whether making ivermectin more accessible could lead people to bypass providers. Sponsors repeatedly referenced international and other states' practices, anecdotal positive personal outcomes, and countered concerns by saying the board would set protocols and that regulated, domestically sourced products are safer than online imports.

No formal vote on the bill occurred during the hearing; senators requested additional information from sponsors and signaled interest in input from the Board of Pharmacy and medical professionals before further action.