New Hampshire Lawmakers Push to Make Ivermectin Available Over-the-Counter

Strategic Insights -

Lawmakers in New Hampshire are pushing to make ivermectin, a drug that gained notoriety during the COVID-19 pandemic, available over-the-counter without a prescription. This move was made possible by adding a provision to a Medicaid cost-efficiency program. Senate Bill 119, which aims to allow Medicaid to purchase name-brand drugs when they are cheaper than generics, was introduced with this amendment. The bill's sponsor, Sen. James Gray, argued that this provision would allow patients to access cheaper name-brand drugs if they are available.

The move to make ivermectin available over-the-counter has been met with criticism from House Democrats, who argue that attaching unrelated provisions to a bill is a bad legislative practice. However, proponents of the bill argue that it is a matter of public health, personal freedom, and common sense.

Key Takeaways:

  • Senate Bill 119, which aims to allow Medicaid to purchase name-brand drugs when they are cheaper than generics, has been amended to include a provision allowing ivermectin to be purchased over-the-counter without a prescription.
  • The amendment was added by Rep. Yury Polozov, a Hooksett Republican, in the House of Representatives.
  • The bill's sponsor, Sen. James Gray, argued that the provision would allow patients to access cheaper name-brand drugs if they are available.
  • House Democrats criticized the addition of the provision, arguing that it is a bad legislative practice to attach unrelated provisions to a bill.
  • Proponents of the bill argue that it is a matter of public health, personal freedom, and common sense.
  • Ivermectin was discovered in Japan in the 1970s and has been used to treat parasitic infections in humans and animals.
  • However, high doses of ivermectin can cause seizures, coma, or even death, according to the FDA.
  • The Mayo Clinic and CDC have also warned that the drug could interact poorly with other medications and that it hasn't been tested for safety and efficacy among small children, geriatric patients, and breastfeeding babies.
  • Several states have already made ivermectin available over-the-counter, including Arkansas, Idaho, Tennessee, and others.

Statistics:

  • A 2021 report by the CDC found a sharp increase in the number of people calling into poison control centers due to ivermectin overdoses.
  • The FDA has warned that high doses of ivermectin can cause seizures, coma, or even death.
  • The Mayo Clinic has warned that the drug could interact poorly with other medications and that it hasn't been tested for safety and efficacy among small children, geriatric patients, and breastfeeding babies.
  • Several states have already made ivermectin available over-the-counter, including Arkansas, Idaho, Tennessee, and others.

Sources:

  • Senate Bill 119 (https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/legacy/bs2016/billText.aspx?sy=2025&id=369&txtFormat=html)
  • American Chemical Society (https://www.acs.org/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/ivermectin-mectizan.html)
  • FDA (https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/ivermectin-and-covid-19)
  • Mayo Clinic (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/expert-answers/coronavirus-drugs/faq-20485627#:~:text=Claims%20that%20ivermectin%2C%20hydroxychloroquine%20or,are%20useful%20for%20that%20illness.)
  • CDC (https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/109271)