Rep. Bill Johnson, R-Ohio, says Gov. Mike DeWine made the right decision in asking the pharmacy board to reverse its decision to ban medical facilities from selling or dispensing malaria drugs hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine to treat or prevent COVID-19.
“This is a decision that needs to be made between doctors and patients, not between bureaucrats and pharmacists,” Johnson told Newsmax TV during an appearance on “The Chris Salcedo Show.”
“I’m not a doctor. I understand what the FDA [Food and Drug Administration] was saying at the result of their clinical trials, but I think Gov. DeWine made the right decision in asking the pharmacy board to reverse their decision.”
The Ohio Pharmacy Board on Tuesday said state pharmacies, clinics and other medical facilities were to be prohibited from dispensing or selling the drugs to treat COVID-19, according to regulations issued by the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy. They could still be used in clinical trials, said Cameron McNamee, director of policy and communications for the board.
DeWine on Thursday asked the state pharmacy board to rescind its plan.
"As a result of the feedback received by the medical and patient community and at the request of Governor DeWine, the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy has withdrawn proposed rule 4729:5-5-21 of the Administrative Code," the board said in a statement.
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Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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