Newsweek: Conservative justices deal a blow to Ivermectin in Wisconsin court battle
UC Law professor weighs in on use of controversial drug used by some to treat COVID-19
The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled earlier this month that hospitals can’t be forced to issue Ivermectin to patients. It backed an earlier appeals court decision. It stems from a case filed by Allen Gahl, on behalf of his uncle John Zingsheim, against Aurora Health Care in Oct. 2021.
There was a claim that Zingsheim was not provided with Ivermectin by hospital staff after it was requested. Zingsheim later recovered from COVID and was released. An appeals court ruling found healthcare providers were not required to administer treatments desired by patients and found courts had no authority to compel them to do so.
Jennifer Bard, PhD, professor in the University of Cincinnati College of Law, spoke with Newsweek via email about the case.. She said that forcing doctors to administer care “would be dangerous to the public.”
"Many states have already passed laws making it easier for patients to get Ivermectin by protecting doctors who prescribe it from being punished by the state medical court," Bard told Newsweek. "But so far, no state has identified a patient's right to force a doctor or hospital to administer a specific treatment.
"I think this was the right decision because it is consistent with a legal structure that protects patients by holding doctors responsible for providing a nationally recognized standard of care,” according to Bard.
Bard also has a faculty appointment in the Department of Internal Medicine in the UC College of Medicine.
Ivermectin tablets are approved by the FDA to treat people with intestinal strongyloidiasis and onchocerciasis, two conditions caused by parasitic worms. In addition, some topical forms of ivermectin are approved to treat external parasites like head lice and for skin conditions such as rosacea.
The drug gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic as an alternative cheap medication promoted by some politicians, physicians and individuals opposed to vaccination. The United States Food and Drug Administration has not authorized or approved ivermectin for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19 in people or animals. Ivermectin has not been shown to be safe or effective for these indications.
Read the full Newsweek article online.
Learn more about Jennifer Bard, PhD, online.
Featured top image: Ivermectin image courtesy of Istock.
Related Stories
Sugar overload killing hearts
November 10, 2025
Two in five people will be told they have diabetes during their lifetime. And people who have diabetes are twice as likely to develop heart disease. One of the deadliest dangers? Diabetic cardiomyopathy. But groundbreaking University of Cincinnati research hopes to stop and even reverse the damage before it’s too late.
Is going nuclear the solution to Ohio’s energy costs?
November 10, 2025
The Ohio Capital Journal recently reported that as energy prices continue to climb, economists are weighing the benefits of going nuclear to curb costs. The publication dove into a Scioto Analysis survey of 18 economists to weigh the pros and cons of nuclear energy. One economist featured was Iryna Topolyan, PhD, professor of economics at the Carl H. Lindner College of Business.
App turns smartwatch into detector of structural heart disease
November 10, 2025
An app that uses an AI model to read a single-lead ECG from a smartwatch can detect structural heart disease, researchers reported at the 2025 Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association. Although the technology requires further validation, researchers said it could help improve the identification of patients with heart failure, valvular conditions and left ventricular hypertrophy before they become symptomatic, which could improve the prognosis for people with these conditions.