LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — An Arkansas bill that would allow ivermectin, an antiparasitic drug, to be sold over the counter has passed in the Senate with a 31-4 vote on March 6.
Ivermectin tablets are typically used to treat conditions caused by parasitic worms, while ivermectin topicals can be used to treat head lice and skin conditions like rosacea, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The drug is also used on animals through pour-on, injectable, paste, and chewable forms. The FDA has received several reports of people requiring medical attention, such as hospitalization, after mistakenly self-medicating with ivermectin intended for animals.
Interest in human use of ivermectin grew when people began taking it to prevent or treat COVID-19, despite the FDA and other health agencies warning against it. The FDA has never authorized or approved ivermectin for that purpose.
The Arkansas measure would allow the human use and over-the-counter sale of ivermectin without a prescription or consultation from a healthcare professional.
The bill will now head to the House for consideration.