Texas House Votes To Permit Over-the-Counter Access To Ivermectin

The Texas House voted on Wednesday to allow the over-the-counter sale of ivermectin after nearly three hours of heated debate.

Lawmakers approved House Bill 25 on an 87-47 vote, with one member present but not voting, according to an unofficial tally published on the Texas Capitol website. The measure, authored by Rep. Joanne Shofner, a Republican from Nacogdoches, would make Texas the fifth state to permit the sale of the anti-parasitic drug without a prescription.

The proposal now heads to the Senate after clearing the House of Representatives. Both Governor Greg Abbott and House Speaker Dustin Burrows had previously designated Shofner’s measure as a priority for the Legislature’s second special session.

The debate on the House floor was contentious. Rep. Rafael Anchia, a Democrat from Dallas, sought to rename the bill the “Darwin Award,” saying it was for people who wanted to be eliminated from the general population. His amendment failed.

Ivermectin, long prescribed to treat parasitic infections, became a flashpoint during the COVID-19 pandemic after some studies suggested it might reduce fatalities. However, the Food and Drug Administration has stated that it has neither approved nor authorized the drug for the treatment of COVID-19. The agency warns that high doses can cause seizures and coma and stresses that humans should not take veterinary formulations.

Supporters in Texas have framed the debate as one of medical freedom and patient choice.

“I am thankful it is on the call,” Rep. Wes Virdell, a Republican from Junction, told The Dallas Express. He said the bill would strengthen “personal medical freedom” and expand access to the drug.

Medical freedom advocates, including Texans for Vaccine Choice and Houston physician Mary Talley Bowden, have celebrated the advancement of the legislation. Bowden, who sued the FDA over its messaging on ivermectin during the pandemic, called the governor’s decision to expand the special session agenda to include the measure “great news” and said she has spent more than $250,000 defending her medical license for prescribing the drug.

“Safety data of Ivermectin doesn’t recognize state borders,” Bowden said, arguing the FDA should make the drug available without prescription nationwide.

Critics, including several Democratic lawmakers, argue the measure risks undermining federal safety standards.

Unofficial Roll Call Vote on HB 25 (Texas House, August 27, 2025)

Unofficial vote records indicate that support is largely split along party lines. Among Republicans, supporters included Shofner, Virdell, and Rep. Shelley Luther of Sherman, while Democrats such as Anchia, Ana-Maria Ramos, and Armando Walle opposed the approval.

After the vote, Shofner posed for a photo with Health & Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr.

If the Senate passes the bill, Texas would join Tennessee, Arkansas, Idaho, and Louisiana in making ivermectin available without a prescription.