Gov. Ron DeSantis indicated on social media that he would sign a bill on the over-the-counter sale of Ivermectin if it is passed by the Florida Legislature.
"We are pushing for the Legislature to do the Ivermectin bill; I will sign it once passed," DeSantis wrote in response to an X user.
Ivermectin is a drug most commonly used to treat parasitic diseases. According to WebMD, the drug was first established in the 1970s and used primarily on animals to kill internal and external parasites, such as gastrointestinal worms, due to their harm to livestock.
The drug can also be used on popular domestic animals, such as dogs and horses. In dogs and cats, Ivermectin is used to treat heartworm.
In 1987, Ivermectin was approved for human use for similar parasitic infections.
More specifically, Ivermectin is prescribed to treat Strongyloidiasis in humans, an infection caused by contact with contaminated soil, including the Strongyloides, a type of parasitic roundworm.
The infection can produce symptoms such as heartburn, rashes, diarrhea, belly pain, and bloating. It is also possible not to notice any symptoms.
In addition, Ivermectin is also prescribed to treat Onchocerciasis, or river blindness, a parasitic infection caused by blackfly bites. Blackflies are commonly found in rivers and streams.
The infection can cause vision loss, hence the name.
Last month, First Lady Casey DeSantis expressed Florida's plan to study the drug's effect and potential benefits in curing cancer during a news conference. Casey DeSantis was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021.
The drug was also pushed by U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as a treatment for COVID-19, despite a lack of evidence or approval by the Food and Drug Administration.
A bill on the sale and purchase of Ivermectin without a prescription was introduced in the Florida Legislature by Rep. Jeff Holcomb (R-Spring Hill) in September, but was withdrawn this week.
Will the Florida Legislature file another bill? If so, Ivermectin could be on Florida's commercial market in the near future.
