Removing Hurdles to Essential Medications
On June 26, 2025, Dr. Simone Gold alongside America’s Frontline Doctors (AFLDS) initiated a significant shift in pharmaceutical access by filing two Citizen Petitions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The objective? To elevate hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin from prescription-only to full over-the-counter (OTC) availability.
Notably, this initiative is backed by a coalition of medical professionals, including Drs. Dana Granberg-Nill, Bryan Atkinson, Pierre Kory, Brian Tyson, Peterson Pierre, Robin Armstrong, Geoff Mitchell, and Lynn Fynn, who stand as co-petitioners.
Through these petitions, AFLDS aims to empower Americans by enhancing their access to medications that could potentially save lives.
Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has a long-standing history of FDA approval, being accessible over the counter in various countries, including many in Africa and South America, for malaria prevention and treatment.
In contrast, within the U.S. and other Western nations, HCQ is predominantly utilized for treating rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. According to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS), HCQ ranks as one of the safest medications available.
Similarly, ivermectin, a versatile antiparasitic drug, has been utilized in human medicine for over thirty years and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2015, a testament to its significant contributions to public health.
Considered highly safe, ivermectin is FDA-approved for treating threadworm infections and river blindness, with millions of doses administered as part of global health initiatives.
While primarily used against parasites, ivermectin has also attracted attention for its potential in cancer therapy. The safety of both medications is indisputable.
The COVID-19 pandemic heightened the public’s interest in repurposing established drugs like HCQ and ivermectin for new applications, particularly regarding the prevention and treatment of the virus.
Regrettably, patients prescribed these medications encountered obstacles at pharmacies, which often refused to fill prescriptions due to pressures from government health agencies and corporate executives.
This unwarranted barrier deprived countless Americans of safe and effective treatments at a time of urgent need.
To complicate matters, both drugs faced relentless criticism, seemingly to facilitate the rollout of experimental mRNA vaccines.
Despite their proven safety and efficacy, the generic nature of these drugs does not align with the profit-driven motives of Big Pharma, creating a disincentive for their OTC approval. Essentially, financial gain is often placed above affordable alternatives.
Understanding the necessity of dismantling the COVID-related propaganda and fostering patient access, Dr. Gold and AFLDS had previously filed a petition in October 2020 for HCQ to be sold OTC.
By resubmitting our petition for HCQ alongside a new petition for ivermectin, we are reigniting this crucial battle. The American public deserves unobstructed access to safe and effective medications!
In a statement following the petition submission, Dr. Simone Gold, founder and president of AFLDS, remarked, “The campaign to make hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin available over the counter is ongoing.
The mainstream narrative has faltered under the burden of its own misinformation, and the truth can no longer be silenced. It is long overdue for our government to adhere to the scientific evidence.”
These medications are FDA-approved, safe, and potentially life-saving. This matter transcends COVID-19 or any future pandemics; it revolves around ensuring patient access to effective treatments rather than prioritizing the profits of pharmaceutical corporations.
Removing barriers to hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin has the potential to save lives. The struggle for medical freedom continues, and we urge the FDA to act decisively.”
Dr. Geoff Mitchell emphasized, “We propose that one of the primary factors contributing to poor COVID outcomes and excess mortality in the U.S. was the prohibition of early, outpatient treatment with safe and effective repurposed drugs, including the Nobel Prize-winning ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine. The FDA spearheaded efforts against these treatment alternatives, collaborating with pharmacists and corporate pharmacies to restrict access. This effectively banned them in the U.S. to facilitate the release of the COVID vaccine via Emergency Use Authorization, which mandated the absence of viable alternative therapies. One might say the FDA defamed half of America’s citizens with the infamous ‘you are not a horse’ statement. It appears that 78 million Americans have called for a transformation in their healthcare.”
America’s Frontline Doctors invites the public to join this initiative. We strongly encourage you to educate yourself further HERE and sign our petition TODAY!
Stay tuned—updates regarding our efforts to secure OTC status for HCQ and ivermectin will follow.
