INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Doctors told the Times that they have already seen some cases where patients with treatable, early-stage cancers have delayed effective
treatments to try ivermectin, only to see no effect and return to their doctor's office with cancers that have advanced.Nevertheless, the
malignant misinformation on social media has made its way into state legislatures
According to an investigation by NBC News published Monday, 16 states have proposed or passed legislation that would make ivermectin
available over the counter
The intention is to make it much easier for people to get ivermectin and use it for any ailment they believe it can cure.Idaho, Arkansas,
and Tennessee have passed laws to make ivermectin available over the counter
On Monday, Louisiana's state legislature passed a bill to do the same, and it now awaits signing by the governor
The other states that have considered or are considering such bills include: Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, New
Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and West Virginia.State laws don't mean the dewormer would be readily
available, however; ivermectin is still regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, and it has not been approved for over-the-counter use
NBC News called 15 independent pharmacies in the three states that have laws on the books allowing ivermectin to be sold over the counter
(Idaho, Arkansas, and Tennessee) and couldn't find a single pharmacist who would sell it without a prescription
Pharmacists pointed to the federal regulations.Likewise, CVS Health said its pharmacies are not currently selling ivermectin over the
Walgreens declined to comment.Some states, such as Alabama, have considered legislation that would protect pharmacists from any possible
disciplinary action for dispensing ivermectin without a prescription
However, one pharmacist in Idaho, who spoke with NBC News, said that such protection would still not be enough
As a prescription-only drug, ivermectin is not packaged for retail sale
If it were, it would include over-the-counter directions and safety statements written specifically for consumers."If you dispense something
