BATON ROUGE - A bill that would allow pharmacists to dispense ivermectin passed the Louisiana House with amendments Tuesday and will head to the Senate.

Ivermectin is a deworming drug prescribed for livestock and pets.

The bill, SB19, gives pharmacists authorization to dispense ivermectin to anyone who is 18 or older and it establishes standard procedures for dispensing ivermectin by providing patients a screening risk assessment tool and information on its appropriate use.

It also says a pharmacist "acting in good faith and with reasonable care... is immune from disciplinary or adverse administrative actions from the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy and is immune from civil liability in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct."

It does not require health insurers to provide coverage for the cost of the drug.

In 2021, the Louisiana Department of Health issued a statement regarding the drug's use against COVID-19, saying it is "commonly used in animals to treat or prevent parasites" and that "ivermectin tablets are approved at very specific doses for some parasitic worms in humans, as well as topical treatments for head lice and skin conditions like rosacea."

The bill passed the House 67-26 and will be return to the Senate for that body to consider amendments made on the House side.