Medical Freedom Bills See Movement
BY PATTY KLEIN
STATEWIDE - Several bills that were written to remediate the damage done by COVID-era protocols, have finally made their way to the Ohio House and Senate Chambers in December of 2024.
HB73 was written to protect patients from pharmacists declining to fill a prescription. Pharmacists regularly denied prescriptions for ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine as Covid spread across the United States in 2020 and 2021.
This bill also protected physician’s ability to speak freely about medical issues. Many physicians and medical personnel lost their jobs or licenses for speaking out about early treatments that showed promise in saving the lives of their patients.
Senator Huffman rewrote HB73, drastically changing the content and purpose of the bill. Instead of protecting a patient’s informed consent and right to try medications prescribed by their doctor, Huffman’s version allowed pharmacists to deny filling a prescription if they felt science did not support use of the that drug for a given diagnosis. It also limited the speech of physicians, the exact opposite of the intent of the original bill.
President of Ohioans Advocating for Medical Freedom (OAMF), Stephanie Stock, who attended the Senate voting session, said “the version of HB73 that was submitted was profoundly different and actually harmful.” The Ohio Senate passed the rewritten bill, and sent it to the House, which immediately and overwhelmingly voted down the new version.
Stock urges the following call to action:
“Senators Steve and Matt Huffman,
Please do not ignore the voice of the Ohio House and the people they represent! I am urging you today to adopt the HB 73-8 version that is approved by the families of love ones who lost their lives due to lack of treatment options and hospital protocol, and immediately call it to a committee vote and then call a Senate floor vote at the next session. Do not allow the needless death of one more Ohioan. The people of Ohio are watching.
Thank you, “
Another bill that made it to the Ohio House floor was HB236. The bill, also known as the “Never Alone Act” mandates that patients in hospitals or nursing homes are allowed to have an advocate in the room during a public health emergencies. During Governor DeWine’s declared health emergency in 2020 and 2021, some patients had to speak with family virtually with FaceTime or through a window. Many patients died alone.
The Never Aline Act was passed by the Senate on December 11. It will now be sent to Governor DeWine to be signed into law.
Other medical freedom bills that are still pending in the House. HB319 is known as the Conscientious Right 2 Refuse Act. This important bill would make it illegal to discriminate against an individuals who refuse a medical treatment for reasons of conscience, including religious convictions. During the COVID pandemic, numerous individuals lost their jobs for refusing to take the Covid-19 vaccine when their employers mandated it. On December 10, the House Health Provider Services Committee passed the bill sending to its next hurdle in the full House.
Finally, testimony was accepted in the House Public Health Policy Committee for HB617, the Un-Mask Ohio bill. The committee has not yet voted on the bill.
According to the OAMF website:
“HB 617 “Un-Mask Ohio” (sponsor: Rep. Wiggam) prevents masks from being mandated in any school, college, or any government building or public transit, and in any place of public accommodation or where public services are rendered in the private sector.”
Groups and individuals have been fighting for medical freedom legislation since governors across the country began mandating medical interventions due to the COVID pandemic. Some might say their rights have been violated by the government and employers. There have been reports of companies indicating they have a right to make work rules to protect their employees. These sentiments have stalled out legislation during and after the pandemic ended.
