SB189 allows ivermectin for human use to be sold over the counter in the state. This means people may buy or sell ivermectin without a prescription or consultation with a healthcare professional. The act reclassifies the drug as an over-the-counter medication within Arkansas law, making it more accessible to consumers.
The Arkansas State House of Representatives passed SB189 on March 18, 2025 by a vote of 78 to 14. We have assigned pluses to the ayes because this measure restores medical freedom and the individual’s right to make personal health decisions without government interference. For years, federal agencies such as the FDA and CDC have restricted access to safe, affordable treatments such as ivermectin, despite extensive evidence of its effectiveness and long record of safety in human use. By reclassifying ivermectin as an over-the-counter medication, Arkansas is rejecting bureaucratic overreach and affirming that citizens—not unelected federal regulators or pharmaceutical interests—should decide what treatments to use. The right to bodily autonomy is essential to liberty, and SB189 is a step toward reestablishing that constitutional principle.
