Bill > LD890

This bill allows pharmacists to dispense ivermectin to patients without a prior individual prescription, but only under specific conditions through a "standing order" (a written protocol signed by a licensed healthcare practitioner). The bill specifically permits ivermectin to be dispensed for patients seeking treatment for COVID-19, influenza, or cancer. The standing order must include a mechanism for documenting patient screening, recording the prescription in the patient's medical record, and establishing a plan for addressing potential adverse events. The pharmacist must also comply with documentation requirements set by the relevant professional board. By creating this provision, the bill ensures that pharmacists who dispense ivermectin under these specific guidelines are considered to be acting for a legitimate medical purpose within the normal practice of pharmacy. The bill also grants the professional board authority to create routine technical rules to implement these new dispensing guidelines, providing a framework for safe and standardized ivermectin distribution in these specific medical contexts.

Health and Social Services

https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?LD=890&snum=132