The bill, proposed by State Rep. Jacob Banta (R-4), proposes making the anti-parasitic drug legal over the counter in Pennsylvania.

Rep. Banta said in the bill’s memo that Ivermectin is “a very safe drug that has been used by millions of people worldwide.” He cited the drug winning a Nobel Prize for treating parasitic diseases in 2015 and a 2021 NIH study that explored Ivermectin’s therapeutic and preventative role in SARS-CoV-2, in which 76 controls and 41 cases were studied as reasons to legalize the drug.

Rep. Banta also said in the memo that his 85-year-old mother was admitted to the hospital and made a “complete recovery” in just four days of administering Ivermectin in 2020.

The memo says there are “numerous testimonies” on the drug’s safety, and Arkansas and Idaho have already passed legislation for over-the-counter Ivermectin sales.

It is important to note that a 2024 report from the NIH says, “Although isolated randomized clinical trials may show some benefit in some studies, the most recent large-scale and meta-analyses studies suggest that the role of Ivermectin in the treatment of COVID-19 in humans is ineffective and inconclusive.”

A 2024 report from the Brazilian Journal of Biology adds, “The exact mechanism of action of Ivermectin against SARS-CoV-2 is not yet known. And although many studies present its application, some of them have a series of methodological limitations that make it difficult to analyze the data, interpret the results of the work, in addition to making comparisons between them difficult.”

Furthermore, the FDA has not authorized or approved Ivermectin for use in preventing or treating COVID-19 in humans or animals. The FDA urges citizens to talk to their health care providers about available COVID-19 vaccines and treatment options, as providers can help determine the best option for you based on your health history.

The bill has not been submitted for introduction yet.