WACO, Texas (KXXV) — Two new laws hit the book this week here in Texas regarding medicine with both raising questions about medical freedom.
Watch Bobby's story here:
HB 7 broadens Texas’ near total abortion ban by allowing every day citizens, including family members of the fetus, the ability to sue those who manufacture or distribute abortion drugs to or from the State of Texas. Family members of the fetus could receive thousands more if they have a successful case.
Supporters believe it better protects expecting mothers and unborn children in a variety of ways including from potential health risks when taking the drugs without medical supervision.
While critics said it opens the door for legal harassment from strangers and family members and could put the mother, especially those living in rural Texas, at a heightened health risk by restricting safer alternatives to abortions.
Also See: Women's privacy bill and new school testing bill become law December 4
“The real issue on it was that — you want as broad of a vision to what’s going on in Texas as you can possibly get. So it does allow individuals to go after someone" said Waco's State Representative Pat Curry.
He added, “So basically you can hire a lawyer and go after these companies and it should deter the companies from doing this." He continued, “Because they have the whole 33M people in the State of Texas that have the ability to go after them.”
To read more about what supporters and critics said about HB 7, click here.
Moving on to HB 25 which would allow people to buy ivermectin, which is used to treat parasitic infections in both humans and animals, without a prescription for humans.
Those in favor of this bill believe it comes down to medical freedom while critics believe health risks could arise when a physician is not prescribing the medication.
Rep. Curry said there’s been a lot of conversation about it being used to fight against COVID-19.
He said, “There has been and there’s different viewpoints on that but it seems there’s a lot of people out there that feel like it helped them and they didn’t take a vaccine and they didn’t want to take a vaccine.”
The District 56 representative said, “Just like anything else, Tylenol is the savor of the world to some people and it’s the enemy, the devil to others.”
“You should have the right. If you can buy it over the counter in a feed store you should be able to buy it for your own consumption and know that it’s made for human use," said Rep Curry.
While ivermectin is FDA approved for human treatment, it has not been approved for treatment against COVID-19.
To read more about what supporters and critics said about HB 25, click here.
These new bills turn law along with a dozen others on Thursday,December 4.
