Columbus, Ohio – Late Wednesday, the Ohio House of Representatives turned dramatically against a divisive measure giving doctors more freedom to prescribe drugs for reasons not specifically recognized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The defeat represented a major blow to the measure, which was just one vote away from being sent to Governor Mike DeWine’s desk.
Supported by Representatives Jennifer Gross (R-West Chester) and Mike Loychik (R-Bazetta), House Bill 73 encountered a lot of resistance from different health organizations and finally failed at the concurrence vote on Senate amendments. The bill had been introduced last year with strong support from groups opposing vaccine mandates, such as Ohio Advocates for Medical Freedom.
Under the proposed law, medications like ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine may have been off-label prescribed for illnesses such COVID-19 for which they were not originally approved. Although the FDA permits such medications for specific uses—ivermectin for parasitic infections and hydroxychloroquine for malaria and arthritis—its opinion on their efficacy for treating COVID-19 has been clear due of lack of enough evidence.
Proponents of the measure contended that off-label use is a frequent and required practice based on Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality data showing one in five prescriptions being for off-label uses. They believed the measure would allow doctors to make decisions most appropriate for the demands of their patients free from bureaucratic intervention.
The measure faced strong opposition in committee phases, though, from reputable organizations including the Ohio Board of Pharmacy and the State Medical Board of Ohio. Not only did major urban healthcare systems express their criticism but also The Executive Director of the State Medical Board, Stephanie Loucka, contended that by giving prescribers too much option, the measure would risk patient safety by perhaps straying from accepted standards of care.
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Acknowledging these issues, the Senate changed the measure significantly adding a clause allowing pharmacists, in most cases, to reject prescriptions. Among other things, this shift resulted in a close Senate vote when five Republican senators supported all seven Democrats to oppose the measure.
Rep. Gross expressed her disappointment about the Senate’s changes in a last attempt to sway her colleagues at the House concurrence vote.
“The people’s version of HB 73 ensured doctors would be able to fill prescriptions in the best interest of their consenting patients without obstruction from outpatient, inpatient pharmacists,” Gross said Wednesday according to State News.
With a vote of 3-88, the bill was heavily rejected despite her plea.
The Ohio legislature’s rejection of the measure reflects a cautious approach toward patient safety and medical procedures. Although Rep. Gross has said intentions to bring the measure back next year, the considerable opposition it encountered indicates that any future ideas will have to properly address the issues of the medical community to acquire support.
