Mega Doctor News
Mega Doctor News
Texas has enacted House Bill 25 (HB 25), a measure grounded entirely in official state action, to expand access to ivermectin—a medication that has been safely utilized in human medicine for over 40 years. The legislation builds on the drug’s established use and entrusts pharmacists with a new, regulated dispensing role that removes the need for a prescription while maintaining professional oversight.
Rep. Joanne Shofner (R–Nacogdoches) introduced HB 25 at the start of the 89th Legislature’s second special session. The bill mandates that the Commissioner of the Department of State Health Services must “issue a statewide order authorizing a licensed pharmacist to dispense ivermectin without a health care practitioner’s prescription order,” overriding other laws to the contrary. The order must include “written, standardized procedures or protocols” and require pharmacists to give patients “instructions on the proper use of ivermectin.” Importantly, pharmacists acting “in a reasonably prudent manner” under the order are immune from criminal or civil liability and professional disciplinary action. Additionally, they must submit an annual written report summarizing the number of doses dispensed. Finally, the Texas State Board of Pharmacy and the Executive Commissioner are authorized to adopt the rules necessary to implement the new section in the Health and Safety Code. https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/892/billtext/html/HB00025I.htm
Gov. Greg Abbott supported the expansion of ivermectin access, formally adding the item to the Second Special Session agenda on August 20, 2025, stating, “Texans should have increased access to the benefits of Ivermectin.” https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-adds-three-items-to-special-session-2-agenda
HB 25 passed both chambers of the Legislature during the special session and will take effect on the 91st day after the session adjourns, consistent with standard legislative timing. https://legiscan.com/TX/text/HB25/id/3266514
Once it is in force, the Commissioner must issue the statewide order “as soon as practicable.” https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/892/billtext/html/HB00025I.htm
This law reinforces the medical legitimacy of ivermectin, which has long been an FDA-approved treatment for parasitic infections in humans—used safely for over four decades. The move empowers pharmacists to responsibly meet patient demand within a professional framework, preserving both access and accountability through protocol-based guidance.
