Lawmakers in New Hampshire have introduced a bill that would permit pharmacists to dispense the drug Ivermectin without first getting a prescription from a doctor. The proposed legislation, titled HB 1022, "AN ACT permitting pharmacists to dispense the drug Ivermectin by means of a standing order," was first introduced on Oct. 29, 2021, by eight Republican representatives who are taking a firm stand against the war on inexpensive, repurposed drugs like Ivermectin.
A public hearing on the bill took place on Jan. 18, 2022 (above video, discussion on HB1022 begins at 6:01:01), where bill sponsor, Rep. Lea Cushman of Hillsborough County District 2, explained she introduced the bill as "an attempt to make New Hampshire the first state in the country to make Ivermectin easily available without a prescription." She continued, elaborating on Ivermectin's incredible history, sharing:
"Ivermectin is a Nobel prize-winning drug that has been registered for human use since 1987. And in 1988, a massive campaign was implemented in Africa to deliver Ivermectin to millions of people to combat river blindness. Ivermectin was shown over the next 33 years to be extremely effective and well-tolerated. It has been shown to be useful in the treatment of a variety of parasites and also to have broad application as an antiviral.
It has demonstrated inhibitory effects against HIV and at least two dengue fever viruses, influenza virus, and a number of others. Ivermectin is safe; it has been administered to humans globally for more than 30 years, with an estimated 6 billion doses given with very few adverse effects. Davis Drug Guide lists more adverse effects in severity and number from Tylenol than Ivermectin.
It is available over the counter in many countries and is often administered by non-medical personnel with very little training due to its safe drug profile. Ivermectin improves COVID-19 outcomes in at least 60 controlled studies, and 32 randomized controlled trials show that it improves co-outcomes in mortality ventilation, viral clearance, and case reduction. Over 20 countries have adopted Ivermectin for treatment against COVID-19."
Indeed, the broad consensus of countless experts is that if Ivermectin had been readily available sooner as an early at-home prophylactic treatment for COVID, we would have prevented hundreds of thousands of deaths. Speaking in support of HB1022, Dr. Paul Marick—who recently resigned from his long-held position at Eastern Virginia Medical School over its refusal to allow him to treat his patients with Ivermectin—described the drug as "probably the second most important drug ever invented." Sharing his experiences with Ivermectin, Dr. Marik told Heather Mullins of Real America's Voice:
"We're going to be talking about Ivermectin. [The drug] has been dispensed 3.7 billion times. It's changed the face of parasitic diseases on the planet. It is very safe. It's very cheap and is highly effective against SARS-CoV-2. And if this drug had been used more widely in this country, it could have saved hundreds of thousands of lives. And we know that that's what's happened in many other countries across the world that Ivermectin is a life-saving drug."
Source: Database of all Ivermectin COVID-19 studies – www.c19ivermectin.com – (constantly updated)
When asked by Mullins why there's been such a pushback against the use of Ivermectin, Marik shared a belief held by many. He explained, "Oh, there are multiple reasons. And this is probably generated by big pharma, government, and big corporations who don't like cheap repurposed drugs. So this is a war on cheap repurposed drugs. They want you to use expensive designer drugs, which in fact, don't work." Undoubtedly in support of HB1022, Marik reiterated a fact shared by Rep. Cushman that Ivermectin is safer than Tylenol. He added:
"Let me say that again, this drug is safer than Tylenol, and people should be given access to this drug in order to prevent and treat COVID. And early treatment is absolutely critical. If you wait until patients are symptomatic—like the NIH wants you to do—then they're lined up in the hospital, and they die."
Under the proposed bill, pharmacists would be allowed to "dispense Ivermectin under the delegated prescriptive authority of the physician or APRN (Advanced Practice Registered Nurses), specify a mechanism to document screening performed and the prescription in the patient's medical record, and include a plan for evaluating and treating adverse events. Any such prescription shall be regarded as being issued for a legitimate medical purpose in the usual course of professional practice."
Despite impressive expert recommendations for Ivermectin based on its safety and efficacy in the early treatment of COVID-19, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) insists the drug is "intended for animals" and should not be taken by humans to treat the virus. Instead—strongly dissuading the use of Ivermectin whatsoever—the FDA's directive is essentially one of fear when advising against the widely available and inexpensive drug. Rather, keeping in step with the Biden administration's "vaccinate everyone" narrative, the FDA's website declares:
"The most effective ways to limit the spread of COVID-19 include getting a COVID-19 vaccine when it is available to you and following current CDC guidance."
