Board of Pharmacy Releases New Joint COVID-19 Prevention & Treatment Position Statement.

The Alaska Board of Pharmacy released a new joint COVID-19 prevention and treatment position statement dated October 25, 2021. The statement is a joint statement from the Board of Pharmacy, Board of Nursing, and the Board of Dental Examiners.

The statement references the controversial use of ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine and indicates that three Boards have not taken a position on the experimental or off-label use of COVID-19 treatments. In keeping with their duties to protect public health the Boards go on to say "...your pharmacist may contact the prescriber with questions. If your prescriber is unavailable for consultation or if the prescription is for an unusual dose, the pharmacist may refuse to fill the prescription."

It's unfortunate that the statement seems to indicate that these are the only two reasons that a pharmacist may refuse to fill the prescription. Many agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration, American Medical Association, American Pharmacists Association, and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists have released statements opposing the use of ivermectin for COVID-19 treatment. The World Health Organization also only recommends the use of ivermectin within a clinical trial.

Make sure the Board of Pharmacy hears your voice. You may contact the Board by sending an email to BoardofPharmacy@Alaska.gov