2 weeks Ago By RICHARD CRAVER Winston-Salem Journal
A group of right-wing State House Republicans are continuing the trend of introducing state legislation that mirrors Trump administration health care objectives. This time, separate bills filed Monday would allow for additional retail sales of raw milk products ( House Bill 609 ) and to increase consumer access to the controversial horse dewormer ivermectin ( House Bill 618 ). Rep.
Jeff Zenger, R-Forsyth, is a co-primary sponsor of HB618. Zenger could not be immediately reached for comment. The N.
C. Department of Health and Human Services said Tuesday it “does not have comment on recently introduced legislation.” Both products have been promoted for health benefits by Robert F.
Kennedy Jr. before he was approved by Congress as U.S.
Health and Human Services secretary. Raw milk has gained a following among anti-regulatory conservatives nationally. Kennedy has said he consumes raw milk.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends against consuming unpasteurized dairy that hasn’t been heated to kill pathogens, such as bird flu. Interstate raw milk sales for human consumption are banned by the Food and Drug Administration. It has been linked to hundreds of illness outbreaks.
In October, The Associated Press reported that Kennedy threatened to fire FDA employees for “aggressive suppression” of a host of unsubstantiated products and therapies, including stem cells, raw milk, psychedelics and discredited COVID-era treatments, such as ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine. “It’s certainly possible that (the bills) might advance, but, given the context, it appears somewhat unlikely,” said Chris Cooper, a political science professor at Western Carolina University. “Neither one have any of the major leaders as sponsors.
If leadership is silent, that doesn’t mean that they are opposed, necessarily, but it is an early indication that they are not interested in spending much capital on them.” Cooper said that while “anything’s possible, but I would not put either of these bills on a short list of bills that are likely to be passed in this session.” HB609 expands the availability of raw milk to consumers to include the retail sale of grade “A” raw milk, cream and raw milk products, such as cottage cheese, buttermilk, butter, kefir and “other cheeses.
” If the bill becomes law, those retail sales would be permitted beginning Jan. 1. The products could be sold at farm stands by an eligible dairy farmer within 100 miles of the farm.
The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services would oversee sales and issues annual raw milk licenses.
The department would inspect dairy farms with the requirement of meeting all dairy product state law that include: maintenance in terms of storage temperature; and labeling that indicates it is raw milk and that it is prepared separately from pasteurized dairy products. Cows would be required to be free of tuberculosis and brucellosis, being checked annually by a veterinarian. Water supplies that are not from a public or municipal water system must be tested for being bacteriologically safe every six months.
HB609 contains some language from House Bill 103 , which was filed in 2019, the focus was to aid small dairies by giving the option of retail sale of raw milk for human consumption. HB103 had bipartisan support that included Guilford County Democrat Pricey Harrison and Republican Jon Hardister. However, the bill was not heard in committee.
Ivermectin, a dewormer used with farm animals, has been used to treat parasitic illnesses in people, including hookworm infections and river blindness (onchocerciasis). It also has been found to be an effective treatment for head lice. The drug became a controversial societal and health care topic during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, being promoted by President Donald Trump and some conservative political groups as an effective treatment for patients before vaccines became readily available by spring 2021.
It remained promoted as an alternative to COVID-19 vaccines once they were available. However, any effectiveness has been disproven in several randomized controlled trials, including a study posted by Duke Health in October 2022. HB618 would direct the state health director to issue a statewide order allowing pharmacists to dispense ivermectin for human use without a written prescription.
The bill would not require a consultation with a health care provider. HB618 would provide the state health director and any pharmacist dispensing ivermectin as allowed by the bill with immunity from civil and criminal liability. If the bill becomes law, it would go into effect Oct.
1. “Unfortunately, the promotion of ivermectin, when other effective therapies were available, has likely resulted in the deaths of many Americans,” David Boulware, a University of Minnesota epidemiologist, said as co-author of a May 2022 New England Journal of Medicine report. An August 2023 national poll by Kaiser Family Foundation found that about 30% of Americans believe ivermectin is effective.
The poll found supporters of ivermectin lacked trust in news media or official institution “to accurately convey information about health topics that include COVID treatments and vaccines. [email protected] 336-727-7376 | @rcraverWSJ Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.
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