More states are allowing ivermectin to be sold without a prescription

Ivermectin, the drug used to treat parasitic worms, has not been formulated or labeled specifically for over-the-counter use, like aspirin or an antacid.

Boise, Idaho, pharmacist Matt Murray has no choice but to disappoint the handful of people who call him every day asking for a drug used to treat parasitic worms.

He could give them the medication, called ivermectin, but only with a doctor’s note.

The callers aren’t in the throes of an active intestinal worm infestation, Murray said. They simply want access to the pills without having to see a doctor first.

“A lot of people are calling, asking, ‘Do you guys have it for sale? Can I buy it? How do I get it?’” said Murray, the director of operations for the independent Customedica Pharmacy. “Not so much, ‘How does it work? What is it for?’”

The volume of such calls has increased sharply since mid-April, when Idaho Gov. Brad Little, a Republican, signed a bill into law mandating that ivermectin be available to anyone who wants it over the counter.