Kansas bill would boost unproven COVID drugs and let parents bypass school vaccine rules

A Kansas Senate committee quickly advanced a plan to protect doctors who prescribe unproven COVID treatments and let parents claim religious exemptions to school vaccine requirements.
TOPEKA, Kansas — Republicans in the Kansas Legislature are uniting behind a bill to stop the state’s medical board from disciplining physicians who prescribe unproven off-label drugs to COVID-19 patients.

In addition to explicitly authorizing the prescribing of off-label drugs to treat COVID-19, the measure requires pharmacists to dispense the drugs even if they have concerns about their safety.

Another amendment added Tuesday, just minutes before the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee endorsed the bill, would allow parents to claim religious exemptions to any vaccine requirements at schools and child care facilities.