Senate Health bills would declare W.Va. sovereignty from global health orgs, Ivermectin over-the-counter

West Virginia’s Senate Health Committee advanced a bill called the State Sovereignty Act of 2025 to prevent the World Health Organization, the United Nations, and the World Economic Forum from having jurisdiction within West Virginia.

Right now, those global organizations have no particular say-so in West Virginia.

The state Senate Health Committee also advanced a bill authorizing over-the-counter sales of the drug Ivermectin if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration allows it. 

Ivermectin is usually used to treat infections caused by roundworms, threadworms and other parasites, although it gained popularity in use for covid-19

Senators took these actions on the fifth anniversary of covid-19 being declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization.

Each of those bills passed by the health committee now goes to the Senate Judiciary Committee for review.

SB689, called the State Sovereignty Act of 2025, states that  states that any requirements from the global organizations cannot be used as a basis for action within the state, especially concerning mandates related to public health measures or data collection.

The bill specifies that the international organizations could not impose requirements in West Virginia over masks, vaccines or medical testing.

The World Health Organization, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, establishes, monitors, and enforces international health standards. Some of its activities focus on ending tuberculosis and leprosy.

On the first day of his second term, President Trump signed an executive order withdrawing the United States from the World Health Organization.

The United Nations is an international organization founded after World War II that plays a role in global health through the more specialized World Health Organization.

The World Economic Forum is an independent, not-for-profit organization that promotes cooperation between governments, businesses and civil society. Sometimes that focus is on healthcare cooperation. 

Senator Joey Garcia, D-Marion, said West Virginia is already free from being told what to do by those global organizations.

“At this point in time, they have no jurisdiction in the state,” Garcia said.

The committee’s attorney agreed, that is true.

“So they can’t force anybody to do anything,” Garcia said.

Also true.

Garcia confirmed with the committee’s counsel that the law of the State of West Virginia is what would apply to state residents.

“I thought I’ve seen a lot of do-nothing bills, but this one, man. There is no jurisdictional issue here. This is nothing more than an intent not to be overcome by conspiracy theories. I don’t see any other reason why this bill is on the agenda other than the fact it may be politically popular to talk about these organizations,” Garcia said.

“But this bill does nothing. So for that reason, I’m a no.”

The rest of the committee overwhelmingly advanced the bill.

The other bill would make Ivermectin more accessible to patients by removing the prescription requirement.

Senator Tom Takubo, a pulmonologist, questioned whether average citizens are aware of the potential side effects of Ivermectin.  The bill stipulates that pharmacists must provide patients with FDA-approved information and are protected from liability if acting in good faith.

“There are some concerns,” said Takubo, R-Kanawha. “Ivermectin, for the most part, is a pretty well tolerated medication when taken in appropriate doses. However, it can prolong your heart rhythm, and it can prolong something called a QTC, which can cause you to have arrhythmia.

“When we were trying to push these doses in the intensive care unit as a treatment for covid early on when we really had nothing, we had to do daily EKGs to kind of watch because it can throw our heart out of rhythm to a fatal arrhythmia. It can also be liver toxic and so we would have to carefully watch the liver enzymes.”

Takubo said his concern would be, “If a patient doesn’t get the proper education, there could be some adverse consequences of that.”

Senator Tom Willis, R-Berkeley, at first offered an amendment to make Ivermectin available behind-the-counter, rather than over-the-counter.

But Willis then reconsidered because the committee’s version of the bill indicates there wouldn’t be a change in the status of the drug anyway without approval by the U.S. FDA.

“I see that in 0rder for this to happen in West Virginia, it’s subject to FDA approval of Ivermectin for over-the-counter use,” Willis said.

“So I understand my amendment would make West Virginia more restrictive than the rest of the country at that point, and that’s not my intent.”