Gov. Greg Abbott has expanded the call of the Texas Legislature’s ongoing second special session to include legislation authorizing over-the-counter (OTC) sales of Ivermectin, a move celebrated by several Republican lawmakers and medical freedom advocates.

The governor’s directive added three new items to the session agenda: penalties for legislators who break quorum, a groundwater study in East Texas, and a bill allowing pharmacists to dispense Ivermectin without a prescription.

“I am thankful it is on the call,” Rep. Wes Virdell (R-Junction) told The Dallas Express. “I appreciate Rep. Shofner filing it in the special.”

Virdell had already introduced a similar measure during the regular session earlier this year, House Bill 3175, which sought to give pharmacists the authority, though not the requirement, to sell Ivermectin without a doctor’s prescription, DX previously reported. At the time, he said the bill was meant to strengthen “personal medical freedom” and make it easier for Texans to access the decades-old anti-parasitic drug.

Shofner had authored a similar bill, which Virdell supported, though neither cleared all of the requisite legislative hurdles before the end of the regular session.

Political Momentum Builds

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Rep. Shelley Luther (R-Sherman) hailed Abbott’s expanded call on social media.

 

Texans for Vaccine Choice, a medical freedom advocacy group, likewise praised the move: “WE DID IT!! Governor Abbott has placed a new call on the Texas Legislature to pass legislation to allow pharmacists to dispense Ivermectin without a prescription!”

Dr. Mary Talley Bowden, a Houston-based physician who sued the FDA over its anti-Ivermectin messaging during the pandemic, celebrated the announcement, calling it “great news” and noting she has spent more than $250,000 defending her license for prescribing the drug.

 

“Safety data of Ivermectin doesn’t recognize state borders,” Bowden added. “While I’m thrilled Texas will soon become the 5th state in the country to make it OTC, the @US_FDA should put science over politics and make it OTC for all Americans.”

A Divisive Drug

Ivermectin, co-discovered by Nobel laureate Satoshi Ōmura, has been widely prescribed for decades to treat parasitic infections in humans and animals. Proponents point to its long track record of safety and cite numerous studies suggesting it may reduce COVID-19 fatalities.

However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not authorized or approved Ivermectin for COVID-19 treatment. The agency cautions that high doses can be dangerous, with potential side effects including seizures and coma, and stresses that veterinary formulations should never be taken by people.

“The FDA has determined that currently available clinical trial data do not demonstrate that Ivermectin is effective against COVID-19 in humans,” the agency website states. Still, it acknowledges that licensed doctors may legally prescribe the drug off-label when deemed appropriate.

What Comes Next

If passed, the legislation would make Texas the latest state to allow OTC sales of Ivermectin for human use, joining a small but growing group of states pursuing similar measures. Should the Texas legislature pass the bill, the Lone Star State will join Tennessee, Arkansas, Idaho, and Louisiana as the fifth state to allow OTC Ivermectin.

Supporters say it is a win for patient choice and medical freedom, while critics warn that state lawmakers are circumventing federal safety and efficacy standards.

With the bill now formally on the special session agenda, lawmakers will debate whether to align Texas with those states and whether a drug that became a flashpoint during the pandemic should be available without a prescription.