Wyoming Lawmaker Pushes Plan to Sell Ivermectin without a Prescription

The original story by Clair McFarland for Cowboy State Daily.

A Cheyenne lawmaker is taking another swing at one of the most polarizing drugs to come out of the COVID era.

Rep. Gary Brown, R-Cheyenne, has introduced House Bill 13, a proposal that would allow ivermectin to be sold over-the-counter in Wyoming, no prescription required. The bill could get its first hearing in about three weeks, once the Legislature is back in full swing.

Ivermectin is best known as an antiparasitic drug and, in some circles, as a horse dewormer. It became nationally controversial during the COVID-19 pandemic, when people began using it off-label to treat the virus. That prompted the US Food and Drug Administration to issue blunt warnings, including the now-famous line:

“You are not a horse. You are not a cow. Serious y’all. Stop it.”

The backlash didn’t end there. In 2022, a group of doctors sued federal agencies, accusing them of pressuring medical professionals not to prescribe ivermectin. The FDA settled that lawsuit in 2024.

Brown’s bill would go a step further than previous Wyoming laws by removing ivermectin from the state’s list of dangerous drugs and making it available over the counter. Brown said he became interested after watching several other states move in the same direction.

“At least four states are already doing this,” Brown said, pointing to Tennessee, Arkansas, Idaho and Louisiana. “I really started paying attention.”

Brown is unapologetic about his support for the drug.

“Big Pharma hates it because ivermectin is a cure,” he said. “It works on parasites, of course, but doctors using it off-label have found it works very well for different viruses.”

He also cited anecdotal reports about possible anticancer benefits and said he personally takes ivermectin by prescription. Brown said he believes it’s helped him avoid various illnesses.

Brown referenced the work of Dr. William Makis, a vocal proponent of ivermectin as part of alternative cancer treatment protocols. He also pointed to scientific studies that suggest the drug may have antitumor potential.

A 2020 study published through the National Library of Medicine described ivermectin as having “powerful antitumor effects.” A more recent 2025 study said there is “encouraging preclinical evidence” of anticancer properties, while also stressing that more research is needed – including properly designed clinical trials to determine safety and effectiveness.

Brown says the bill is about giving people options.

“So much of the time, the medical industry is about treating people, not curing them,” he said. “This is something I feel could help people. I’m excited about it and really want to see what happens.”

Not everyone shares that enthusiasm.

Dr. Kristopher Schamber, a general internist in Sheridan, said he strongly opposes the bill and believes it creates unnecessary risks.

“This bill is not necessary,” Schamber said in an email. “It exposes people to serious side effects. Ivermectin is a serious medication with serious potential toxicity, even when taken appropriately.”

Schamber argued the drug should always be taken under the supervision of a medical professional and noted that Wyoming already addressed access concerns last year. House Bill 164, which became law in 2024, protects doctors from being fired for prescribing medications off-label – including ivermectin.

Because of that law, Schamber said, ivermectin is already easier to obtain while still allowing doctors to monitor patients for dangerous side effects.

He acknowledged that ivermectin shows antiviral effects in lab settings, including against some RNA viruses like bird flu. But those effects, he said, occur at concentrations that are difficult or impossible to achieve safely in humans.

“The sponsors of this bill should hold medical liability for any potential consequences,” Schamber said, “if this becomes law.”

Other doctors are taking a wait-and-see approach.

Dr. Kent Stockton of Riverton declined to fully weigh in before researching the drug’s side effects, but said ivermectin’s potential benefits have been unfairly dismissed.

“I think the fact that ivermectin works has had adequate proof,” Stockton said. “There are many scientific articles that have been suppressed, especially since COVID.”

Stockton argued that sidelining those studies caused real harm.

“People were pushed toward medications that were more harmful and less useful,” he said. “The damage from that has been irreparable.”

Ivermectin is not without risks. Common side effects include muscle and joint pain. Less common reactions can include rapid weight gain and tingling in the hands or feet. Rare but serious side effects include seizures and loss of bowel control, according to drugs.com.

Whether House Bill 13 gains traction remains to be seen. But once again, ivermectin is putting Wyoming lawmakers – and the medical community – squarely at odds.