The legislature finds that medical professionals internationally have used safe, known therapeutic medicine and vitamin supplement remedies to prevent, treat, and cure COVID-19 that have not been promoted or approved by the federal food and drug administration for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19. Therefore, the legislature intends to allow health care providers to use all available options that have demonstrated efficacy so that they can determine the best course of action for their patient's individual needs.
This section adds a new section to an existing chapter 18.130. Here is the modified chapter for context.
A physician licensed under chapter 18.71 RCW, an osteopathic physician licensed under chapter 18.57 RCW, an advanced registered nurse practitioner licensed under chapter 18.79 RCW, a physician assistant licensed under chapter 18.71A RCW, an osteopathic physician assistant licensed under chapter 18.57A RCW, or a naturopath licensed under chapter 18.36A RCW may prescribe, recommend, administer, or distribute to a patient a known remedy to prevent, treat, or cure COVID-19 and related symptoms or disorders.
A health care provider acting in compliance with subsection (1) of this section is not subject to professional disciplinary action under this chapter based solely upon the health care provider prescribing, recommending, administering, or distributing a known remedy to prevent, treat, or cure COVID-19 and related symptoms or disorders.
For the purposes of this section, the term "known remedy" means a prescription drug, biological product, mineral, or vitamin that in the health care provider's professional judgment may prevent, treat, or cure COVID-19 and related conditions, regardless of approval by the federal food and drug administration for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19. Known remedies include, but are not limited to, hydroxychloroquine, ivermectin, budesonide, monoclonal antibodies, zinc, vitamin D, and vitamin C.