Bill > S0650

This bill proposes to amend South Carolina state law to allow ivermectin tablets to be sold over-the-counter without requiring a prescription or consultation with a healthcare professional. Ivermectin, typically used as an anti-parasitic medication in humans and animals, would become directly available for purchase by the public. The legislation specifically provides legal protection for pharmacists, stating that they cannot be held civilly liable or face professional disciplinary actions for selling ivermectin under these new conditions. Currently, most medications like ivermectin require a prescription from a licensed healthcare provider, so this bill represents a significant change in how the medication can be accessed. The bill would take effect immediately upon receiving the Governor's approval, potentially making South Carolina the first state to broadly deregulate ivermectin sales in this manner. While the bill does not explicitly state a rationale, it appears to be part of a broader movement to increase public access to medications that gained attention during the COVID-19 pandemic, when some people advocated for ivermectin as a potential treatment (though medical consensus does not support this use).