Two Health Care Associations Weigh In on State Supreme Court Case Regarding Giving a Patient Ivermectin

Saturday, December 10th, 2022 -- 10:01 AM

(By Jenny Peek, Wisconsin Public Radio) Two health care associations are weighing in on a Wisconsin Supreme Court case considering whether a Waukesha hospital should have been forced to give a patient ivermectin for COVID-19.

According to Jenny Peek with Wisconsin Public Radio, the American Medical Association and Wisconsin Medical Society filed the amicus brief Wednesday. It argues ivermectin hasn't been proven effective in treating the disease.

According to the brief, AMA and the Wisconsin Medical Society represent nearly 10,000 physicians in the state, who over the past three years treated nearly 2 million Wisconsinites for COVID-19.

"Their task has been greatly complicated by misinformation about COVID-19 and risky treatments touted as miracle cures, like ivermectin," the brief reads. "Wisconsin's physicians rely on evidence-based treatments, as the law and their ethical obligations require, and avoid untested ones, like ivermectin, that may compromise patient health."

The lawsuit, Gahl v. Aurora Health, was brought by Allen Gahl, whose uncle, John Zingsheim, was put on a ventilator in October 2021 due to complications from COVID-19.

Gahl got a prescription for ivermectin for his uncle through a doctor who was not associated with Aurora and who had not examined his uncle or been involved with his care. When doctors at Aurora Health refused to provide and administer the drug, Gahl sued.

Waukesha County Circuit Court directed the hospital to give the drug, but then the judge revised his order saying Gahl would have to supply the drug and a doctor to administer it. It then went to the Court of Appeals District II which stayed and then also revised the order in May 2022.

The majority there concluded the court had no legal authority to force Aurora Health to administer the drug, according to the Wisconsin Examiner. The Wisconsin Supreme Court agreed to hear the appeal of the Appellate Court decision.

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