Latest news with #Ivermectin
Otago Daily Times
04-07-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
GP must pay $65k for prescribing Ivermectin
A Southland doctor has been forced to pay more than $65,000 after she admitted importing and administering Ivermectin during the height of the Covid pandemic. Dr Sophie Jane Febery, registered medical practitioner of Mataura, whose suppression order has lapsed, has had previous charges of misconduct upheld by the New Zealand Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal. The tribunal decision was released to the public yesterday. The decision said it was believed the incidents occurred in 2021, and the tribunal noted Dr Febery was not alone in her behaviour. Similar cases had involved nurses who actively and extensively sought to influence members of the public, including by directly encouraging them not to get vaccinated or to undermine the roll-out of the vaccine. While Dr Febery's actions were less serious than that, the tribunal found they were incredibly risky to people's health and wellbeing. "It spanned several months, and involved prescribing for 29 patients and inadequate record-keeping for 26 patients as well as the attempted importation of 2000 Ivermectin tablets and authorisation of release of Ivermectin to three individuals, contrary to the requirements of the Medicines Act. "In that sense, her wrongdoing was extensive." The tribunal was particularly critical about her inaccurate record-keeping. "Adequate and accurate record-keeping is an important part of ensuring continuity of care. "Dr Febery said that she was not concerned about the continuity of care because it did not seem like a medical issue. The reason the patients had consulted her was for a vaccine exemption letter. "She said that they had online access to prescriptions, but acknowledged it would have made it difficult for the GPs to provide continuity of care." Dr Febery agreed to part of the charge and, eventually, consented to the destruction of the imported Ivermectin when testing showed she had imported substandard medicine. Dr Febery also attended a "freedom rights" rally in Christchurch in October 2021, which was held in response to the Covid-19 vaccination mandate and was attended by members of the public — she introduced herself as a "rural GP from Methven" and, having identified herself as a doctor, she gave a speech. She said she had "started researching like mad" when the Pfizer vaccine was introduced and that 'top scientists' had changed her mind about receiving a vaccine, and that 'the pandemic is not as deadly as we thought it was last year'. The New Zealand Medical Council said it was irresponsible, and unacceptable, for a practising GP to have made such a comment in the midst of a global pandemic. To do so was a breach of her professional obligations not to allow her personal beliefs to affect her advice, and there could be an issue of public safety. Regarding her importing of Ivermectin, the tribunal said: "This was not a case of one slip or inadvertent error". "The tribunal finds that Dr Febery's unlawful conduct amounts to malpractice and negligence and is sufficiently serious to warrant a disciplinary sanction." It also remarked that her public comments about the Covid-19 vaccine suggested a lack of research rigour. "Her research and critical appraisal skills were explored briefly by the tribunal during her evidence. In that area the practitioner did not demonstrate insight. "It was evident that her inquiry into the Pfizer vaccine was the most research she had ever undertaken into a new procedure, medication or vaccine." The tribunal ordered her to take and successfully complete an educational programme approved by the Medical Council about critical appraisal skills so research could be analysed appropriately. She was formally censured and also ordered to pay a total of $67,196.52, comprising $39,874.50 contribution towards the professional conduct committee costs and $27,322.02 for the tribunal's costs. For three years, Dr Febery will be required to advise any workplace of the tribunal's decisions.
Axios
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Axios
What Louisiana lawmakers passed in 2025
Louisiana lawmakers wrapped up their legislative session on Thursday, putting a bow on 60 days of deal making and budgeting. Why it matters: Gov. Jeff Landry has already pulled out his pen to start signing new legislation, making official more than 100 new laws by Friday. The big picture: Because this year's session was all about the state's financials, lawmakers had limited ability to focus on other priorities. But limited does not mean none, so there are still changes to state laws that you should know about. Here's a look at some of this session's most notable edits: 💰 Budget passes: The state got a $51 billion budget for the fiscal year that starts in July. Notable line items include: $1.8 million for the manhunt stemming from the New Orleans jail escape, according to the AP. $1.2 billion in one-time funds from a state savings account to pay for infrastructure improvements, plus site prep for future economic development pitches. No additional funding for Landry's LA GATOR school voucher program, according to the Louisiana Illuminator. Teachers and support staff will get some pay increases through HB 466, which the state will pay for with education trust funds. 🚙 Car insurance changes: Heading into this session, Landry eyed changes that he believes could help lower car insurance rates for Louisiana citizens. Landry signed legislation to give the state insurance commissioner more authority to reject rate increases, offer discounts for dashcams for some trucking companies, prevent undocumented immigrants from collecting damages in car accidents and other changes. 🍎 MAHA trends: Some lawmakers prioritized legislation inspired by HHS Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr's. "Make America Healthy Again" policies. Sen. Patrick McMath's bill that bans some artificial food dyes and additives from school foods got the OK. Restaurants would also have to post if they use seed oils. With Landry's signature, it would take effect in 2028. Lawmakers also approved a now-signed bill to ban " chemtrails," a conspiracy theory-based idea that chemicals are released from the vapor threads seen behind airplanes. Ivermectin, which some MAHA influencers say can help cure coronavirus despite studies showing it is ineffective, would become accessible in over-the-counter purchases, with Landry's signature. Another MAHA-adjacent bill to ban fluoride in the state's water did not pass. 🤳 Talking while driving: With Landry's signature, it'll soon be illegal to hold a cell phone while driving. Law enforcement are instructed to issue warnings until Jan. 1, 2026, after which drivers would face fines. 🎓 UNO merges into LSU system: Facing ongoing financial struggles, the New Orleans university will now be part of the flagship university's system. Go deeper from The Times-Picayune. Other school updates include a new TOPS award for students who score at least a 31 on the ACT and a two-hour course requirement on hazing for students who participate in student organizations. It was inspired by Southern University student Caleb Wilson's death earlier this year. 💨 Kratom ban: The herbal substance, which critics say has abuse potential, will be banned, with Landry's signature. 🎈 Balloon releases banned: The rest of the state caught up with New Orleans' ban on balloon releases after ongoing power outage issues, according to Louisiana First News. 💊 What we're watching: Landry has threatened to call a special session to address prescription drug costs. A controversial bill was scuttled in the 11th hour on Thursday after a fierce battle between some of the largest pharmacy benefits managers, like CVS, and Landry and his supporters, who sought to ban companies from owning PBMs and pharmacies. The bill, however, would not take effect until 2027, so Sen. Cameron Henry told The Times-Picayune he doesn't see the point in holding a special session for an issue that could be taken up next year instead.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Lawmakers decide which bills worth negotiating and kill the rest
On a day when the House and Senate created negotiating committees to try and salvage 50 bills, they voted to summarily kill about 15 others after concluding that compromise was unlikely to be reached on them. A major reform bill (SB 297) that hit the cutting room floor Thursday was the pitched battle between Secretary of State David Scanlan and HealthTrust, the state's largest risk pool, over whether Scanlan should get enhanced power to regulate these groups that manage insurance plans for units of government. Last week, the House of Representatives rejected Scanlan's reforms in favor of an amendment that would have let the groups decide whether to come under the regulation of Scanlan's office or the Insurance Department. Without debate, Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Dan Innis, R-Bradford, asked the Senate to 'non-concur' on the House changes and the Senate did on a voice vote which killed the measure. Scanlan said killing the bill made sense. "I am pleased the Senate voted to non-concur on the House amended version of SB 297. What began as an attempt to improve the transparency and accountability of pooled risk organizations entrusted with $750 million taxpayer dollars became an attempt by one risk pool to move to a regulatory environment favorable to them without addressing the underlying concerns," Scanlan said in a statement. Ivermectin bill rejected The Senate also decided to reject out of hand a controversial House-passed proposal (SB 119) to allow any doctor or pharmacist to provide ivermectin to any patient without a prescription. Ivermectin was created as a drug to treat parasites for animals but in the past decade it proved to be a prize-winning medication to treat humans for similar conditions. During COVID-19, the drug became a viral sensation for many Americans who used it to respond to the virus. House Democratic Floor Leader Lucy Weber of Walpole had argued against giving ivermectin the special status of having a 'standing order' for any patient. She noted the only medications that have that designation are EpiPens that treat allergic reactions, smoking prevention drugs and some forms of contraception. This was the main reason that former Gov. Chris Sununu gave when he vetoed a similar bill to this one. Rep. Yuri Polozov, R-Hooksett, said he pursued the bill because during the pandemic many medical providers were ostracized or even sanctioned for prescribing ivermectin. Many other bills were also killed because sections that legislators still wanted to survive had been tacked onto another bill. In this case, the original bill the House amended to favor ivermectin was expected to save the state up to $9 million a year to allow health care providers to prescribe brand name drugs in the Medicaid program if they have discounts or rebates that make these medications cheaper to purchase. The state Senate tacked that provision onto the trailer bill of its state budget. In a similar vein, the Senate on Thursday killed a bill (SB 60) dealing with legalized gambling that would have taken from state regulators and given to the Legislature the authority to write rules regarding immunization requirements. The House had already tacked that section onto the version of its own budget trailer bill. Another bill (SB 100) that died Thursday was meant to alter a 2021 ban on teaching discrimination in public schools to respond to a federal judge's ruling that struck it down as unconstitutionally too vague. The House-passed language would require a showing that the educator 'knowingly' was advocating bias in his or her teachings. Some socially conservative groups that supported the law had warned lawmakers that the House bill only addressed a small part of the legal flaws with the existing law. The Senate also rejected a House-passed bill that would have created a court docket to resolve disputes over so-called blockchain currencies such as bitcoin (SB 25). klandrigan@
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Rogan claims 2 former presidents called Spotify over his controversial COVID commentary
Podcaster Joe Rogan claimed Tuesday that two unnamed former presidents were involved in the protest against his skeptical discussions about COVID-19. Spotify received backlash in 2022 for allowing Rogan, one of its biggest stars, to spread what progressive critics claimed was COVID misinformation. Musician Neil Young famously removed his content from Spotify in protest over Rogan's rhetoric, saying he no longer wanted to share a platform with him. "And then all of a sudden, I hear that Neil Young wants me removed from Spotify. I was like, 'What the f--- is going on? This is crazy,'" Rogan said Tuesday. "Spotify got calls from two former presidents," he added. Rogan Slams Cnn For 'Force-feeding Me Morons' Instead Of Delivering News Then-Biden White House press secretary Jen Psaki commented on the controversy directly. After Spotify announced it would flag podcasts that cover COVID-19, Psaki responded, "So this disclaimer, it's a positive step, but we want every platform to continue doing more to call out misinformation while also uplifting accurate information." Read On The Fox News App "Our hope is that all major tech platforms — and all major news sources for that matter — be responsible and be vigilant to ensure the American people have access to accurate information on something as significant as COVID-19," she added. But Rogan said that instead of being censored or deplatformed, "I grew by 2 million subscribers in a month." "People started listening," he said, despite how his critics attacked his reputation. "And they started listening, like, 'Oh, he's really reasonable and pretty humble about all this stuff and just asking questions.'" Rogan also condemned how media outlets attacked his use of Ivermectin to treat his COVID-19 by referring to it as a horse dewormer. "I'm, like, 'Why aren't you guys concentrating on the fact that a 55-year-old man is fine three days later during the worst strain?' It was during the Delta where everybody's freaking out. 'This one's going to kill us all.' And I was fine in three days," he said. Rogan described the whole experience as a "wake-up call" that opened his eyes about the liberal legacy media. "It's so dirty. It's such a dirty business," Rogan said. "God, I used to have massive respect for journalists. If I had never done this podcast, I would be your regular schmo out there with, you know, just spitting out all the company lines and all the blast all over the news." "I kind of liked it better then," he said with a laugh. "I didn't think the world is filled with demons, money-hungry demons that are willing to sacrifice human lives in the pursuit of revenue." Click Here For More Coverage Of Media And Culture Spotify founder and CEO Daniel Ek addressed the pushback against hosting Rogan during the company's earnings call in February 2022. "I think the important part here is that we don't change our policies based on one creator, nor do we change it based on any media cycle," the chief executive said at the time. "Our policies have been carefully written with the input from numbers of internal and external experts in this space – and I do believe they're right for our platform." Fox News Digital reached out to Spotify for comment and did not receive an immediate article source: Rogan claims 2 former presidents called Spotify over his controversial COVID commentary
New York Post
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Joe Rogan claims 2 former presidents called Spotify over his COVID commentary
Podcaster Joe Rogan claimed Tuesday that two unnamed former presidents were involved in the protest against his skeptical discussions about COVID-19. Spotify received backlash in 2022 for allowing Rogan, one of its biggest stars, to spread what progressive critics claimed was COVID misinformation. Musician Neil Young famously removed his content from Spotify in protest over Rogan's rhetoric, saying he no longer wanted to share a platform with him. Advertisement 'And then all of a sudden, I hear that Neil Young wants me removed from Spotify. I was like, 'What the f— is going on? This is crazy,'' Rogan said Tuesday. Then-Biden White House press secretary Jen Psaki commented on the controversy directly. After Spotify announced it would flag podcasts that cover COVID-19, Psaki responded, 'So this disclaimer, it's a positive step, but we want every platform to continue doing more to call out misinformation while also uplifting accurate information.' 'Our hope is that all major tech platforms — and all major news sources for that matter — be responsible and be vigilant to ensure the American people have access to accurate information on something as significant as COVID-19,' she added. 3 Spotify received backlash in 2022 for allowing Rogan to spread what progressive critics claimed was COVID misinformation. YouTube/PowerfulJRE Advertisement But Rogan said that instead of being censored or deplatformed, 'I grew by 2 million subscribers in a month.' 'People started listening,' he said, despite how his critics attacked his reputation. 'And they started listening, like, 'Oh, he's really reasonable and pretty humble about all this stuff and just asking questions.'' Rogan also condemned how media outlets attacked his use of Ivermectin to treat his COVID-19 by referring to it as a horse dewormer. 3 Rogan said that two former presidents reached out to Spotify about his claims on COVID-19. Diego – Advertisement 'I'm, like, 'Why aren't you guys concentrating on the fact that a 55-year-old man is fine three days later during the worst strain?' It was during the Delta where everybody's freaking out. 'This one's going to kill us all.' And I was fine in three days,' he said. Rogan described the whole experience as a 'wake-up call' that opened his eyes about the liberal legacy media. 'It's so dirty. It's such a dirty business,' Rogan said. 'God, I used to have massive respect for journalists. If I had never done this podcast, I would be your regular schmo out there with, you know, just spitting out all the company lines and all the blast all over the news.' 3 Rogan described the whole experience as a 'wake-up call' that opened his eyes about the liberal legacy media. HJBC – Advertisement 'I kind of liked it better then,' he said with a laugh. 'I didn't think the world is filled with demons, money-hungry demons that are willing to sacrifice human lives in the pursuit of revenue.' Spotify founder and CEO Daniel Ek addressed the pushback against hosting Rogan during the company's earnings call in February 2022. 'I think the important part here is that we don't change our policies based on one creator, nor do we change it based on any media cycle,' the chief executive said at the time. 'Our policies have been carefully written with the input from numbers of internal and external experts in this space – and I do believe they're right for our platform.' Fox News Digital reached out to Spotify for comment and did not receive an immediate reply.
