Bill protecting doctors who prescribe unproven COVID treatments heads to SD House for a vote

By: John Hult

Outlets: South Dakota Searchlight

Published: February 3, 2026

Words: 567

Last Updated: 3 weeks, 1 day ago

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A South Dakota legislative panel greenlit a bill Tuesday that offers liability protections for doctors and pharmacists who issue or fill off-label prescriptions for antiparasitic and antimalarial drugs.

House Bill 1068 is specific to ivermectin — which is approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat blood parasites in humans — and hydroxychloroquine, approved for the treatment of malaria, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis.

The drugs caught on as alternative treatments for COVID-19, though …

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