US EditionIowa Bill Advances that Would Allow Ivermectin over-the-Counter Access
The bill mandates pharmacists dispense these drugs without prescriptions, stirring debate over safety and professional judgment in Iowa's rural and underserved areas.
- On Jan. 22, 2026, an Iowa House subcommittee advanced House File 2056 requiring pharmacists to dispense ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine OTC to any adult, moving the bill forward with an amendment.
- Proponents including Rep. Eddie Andrews said the bill would expand patient choice and access, citing OTC precedents like Tylenol, while Lindsay Maher said, `Many people in rural and underserved communities would have greater access if this was something they could purchase over the counter`.
- Medical groups and pharmacists warned both drugs can cause serious side effects like arrhythmias and kidney injury, while the Iowa Pharmacy Association, Iowa Medical Society, and pharmacist-lawmakers opposed the bill on safety and clinical judgment grounds.
- Votes split as subcommittee chair Eddie Andrews voted yes, Rep. Austin Baeth opposed it as dangerous, and Rep. Brett Barker raised concerns but moved the bill forward.
- The bill must still clear committee, the House and the Senate; Wes Pilkington warned it grants pharmacists legal immunity but not relief from moral and professional duties.
11 Articles
11 Articles
Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier
Mason City Globe GazetteIowa lawmakers advance bill allowing over-the-counter ivermectin, hydroxychloroquine
The bill would require pharmacists to dispense ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine, which is commonly used to treat malaria, without a prescription to individuals 18 years or older.
Cherokee Tribune Ledger News
Iowa Capital DispatchBill advances making two off-label COVID remedies available without prescription
Lawmakers advanced a bill Thursday for dispensing hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin without a prescription after medical professionals and advocates spoke on the proposal at a House subcommittee meeting Thursday. House File 2056 would require the state medical director to establish a…
Iowa House bill on OTC sales of ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine
A bill that would make it legal for Iowa pharmacists to make over-the-counter sales of two prescription medications some people sought during the pandemic has cleared a House subcommittee, but a key lawmaker says changes must be made in the bill. Ivermectin is a prescription drug the FDA has approved as treatment of parasites like […]
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