Nebraska AG: Docs prescribing ivermectin, hydroxychloroquine will not face discipline

Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson has issued an opinion saying that doctors won't be disciplined for prescribing unproven or controversial treatments for COVID-19, as long as they have the informed consent of patients.

The opinion, which was issued Friday, specifically covers ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine, but it's likely it would apply to other potential "off-label" treatments for the disease.

The 48-page opinion, signed by Peterson and two staff members, mentions "significant controversy and suspect information about COVID-19 treatments." It cites as an example an article last year in The Lancet, a British medical journal, that found no benefit from hydroxychloroquine that was later retracted because of alleged fraud by the principal authors.

Because of conflicting data on the treatments, "We find that the available data does not justify filing disciplinary actions against physicians simply because they prescribe ivermectin or hydroxychloroquine to prevent or treat COVID-19," the opinion said.

Read more: https://journalstar.com/news/state-and-regional/nebraska/nebraska-ag-docs-prescribing-ivermectin-hydroxychloroquine-will-not-face-discipline/article_9d3dba91-7b26-5071-be2f-98ea8eb9db1c.html
(Lincoln Journal Star)