Starting Thursday, December 4, Texans can get ivermectin without a prescription.
The drug has been used for decades to treat parasites in livestock but became popular for humans during the pandemic as treatment for COVID-19, even though it was never approved for such use by the FDA.
At Drug Emporium in Tyler, pharmacy manager David Davis said ivermectin is already available with a prescription. While the drug will stay behind the counter, starting Thursday, it will be available to people who ask for it without a prescription, similar to drugs containing pseudoephedrine.
“That doesn’t mean that there aren’t certain safety precautions that need to be taken. It was a prescription for a reason before it was made over-the-counter,” Davis said.
Safety concerns remain priority
Davis said it’s important to talk with your pharmacist or doctor before taking ivermectin, just like any other medicine. East Texas News MedTeam doctor and infectious disease specialist Ed Dominguez, MD, agrees.
“Probably the most important thing that we need to warn people about is if you are on any kind of a blood thinner for any reason, speak with your doctor about the potential for drug interactions. This is a very important drug interaction that could lead to serious bleeding complications,” Dominguez said.
Dominguez said education is the key to safety when using the drug.
Republican state Rep. Cody Harris of Palestine was one of the bill’s authors. He and other proponents say the change in law is about medical freedom.
“With all of the expert testimony that we had, we felt like this was something that the people of the state of Texas can make a decision on their own and should be able to,” Harris said.
Back at Drug Emporium, Davis believes the illness that popularized the drug will be what brings people in for it.
“I think what most people are going to be looking for is to have it available in case of a COVID outbreak again or in case they get COVID and you’re going to use it to treat that,” Davis said.
Texas is not the first state to make this move. The drug is already available without a prescription in Arkansas, Louisiana, Idaho and Tennessee.
