LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — An Arkansas bill that would allow ivermectin, an antiparasitic drug, to be sold over the counter has passed in the Senate with a 31-4 vote on March 6.
Ivermectin tablets are typically used to treat conditions caused by parasitic worms, while ivermectin topicals can be used to treat head lice and skin conditions like rosacea, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The drug is also used on animals through pour-on, injectable, paste, and chewable forms. The FDA has received several reports of people requiring medical attention, such as hospitalization, after mistakenly self-medicating with ivermectin intended for animals…