The Missouri Legislature recently passed a bill that prevents state licensing boards from punishing doctors who “lawfully” prescribe ivermectin or hydroxychloroquine for COVID.
“Unfortunately, because of the politicization of those two drugs, [doctors are] being targeted,” Sen. Rick Brattin said. “I wanted to protect them from that.”
The legislation was passed by a vote of 130-4 last week as part of a bill on professional licensing. It will now go to Missouri Governor Mike Parson, who will decide whether the legislation will be signed into law.
As per the bill, “The board shall not deny, revoke, or suspend, or otherwise take any disciplinary action against, a certificate of registration or authority, permit, or license required by this chapter for any person due to the lawful dispensing, distributing, or selling of ivermectin tablets or hydroxychloroquine sulfate tablets for human use in accordance with prescriber directions.”
Additionally, the bill would also prevent pharmacists from questioning doctors’ decisions when prescribing the drugs unless a patient specifically questions the drugs’ efficacy.
“A pharmacist shall not contact the prescribing physician or the patient to dispute the efficacy of ivermectin tablets or hydroxychloroquine sulfate tablets for human use unless the physician or patient inquires of the pharmacist about the efficacy of ivermectin tablets or hydroxychloroquine sulfate tablets,” the bill reads.
Democrats are, of course, furious that the Republican state dares to allow doctors to use their own discretion when making prescriptions or that anything other than mRNA vaccines is being recommended.
“The Missouri legislature has chosen to ‘own the libs’ by issuing a gag order against every pharmacist in this state from offering their medical opinion on taking either one of those medications—even if it could kill their patient,” former Democrat candidate Lindsey Simmons wrote on Twitter.
