WACO, Texas (KWTX) – House Bill 25 took effect on Dec. 4 which allows Texans access to Ivermectin without a prescription.
The FDA says research hasn’t shown that Ivermectin is effective in treating Covid-19, Dr. Tim Martindale, however, says some people believe it does. And for that, they want the medicine readily available.
“People get it in the feed store for their animals to de-worm them, so why can’t we take them in small doses that are safe for humans if we want to?,” Dr. Martindale says.
Even though the drug isn’t necessarily harmful, there’s a critical consensus among physicians, he says, about the decision.
“They feel that why should we let people take something that we know doesn’t work?,” Martindale explains.
Adding that it’s not even clear to doctors about how to appropriately dose the medication to patients with Covid-19, due to limited research.
A part of the law states that pharmacists are asked to help the patient seeking the medicine to decide on that dosage.
Kevin George, head pharmacist at Gatesville Drug Co., located at 2513 State Highway 36, says it’s unclear what their role in this change will be.
“It’s up to the pharmacy board to develop and design the protocol and the regulations behind the dispensing of it and that will determine under what rules and regulations we follow for dispensing it,” George explains.
While he doesn’t foresee a patient with intestinal worms seeking the medicine on their own, they would for Covid.
Regardless of reason, George prefers a physician’s guidance. “Side effects aren’t always severe but that depends on your medical history which we don’t always know even if we’re asking the right questions.”
And until more answers become clear, medical professionals remain on the fence.
“We are cautious about you using Ivermectin on your own,” Dr. Martindale says.
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