HB470 Alabama 2022 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Chip BrownRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2022

Title

COVID-19, occupational licensing boards prohibited to take adverse action based on physician's recommended COVID-19 treatment, health care facilities and pharmacies required to fulfill patient's COVID-19 treatment request, cause of action provided

Summary

HB470 would shield physicians from licensing-board discipline for recommending non-FDA-approved COVID-19 treatments, require patient written consent, and require pharmacies and health care facilities to provide or not block such treatments, with new civil remedies for violations.

What This Bill Does

HB470 prohibits licensing boards from disciplining physicians for recommending non-FDA-approved COVID-19 treatments if the physician uses independent medical judgment and the patient signs written informed consent. It requires patients to provide written informed consent for non-FDA-approved treatments. It requires pharmacies to fulfill prescriptions for non-FDA-approved COVID-19 treatments and health care facilities to provide off-label COVID-19 treatments upon patient request. It creates civil remedies for violations by licensing boards, pharmacies, or facilities, including injunctive relief and recovery of fees and costs.

Who It Affects

• Physicians and occupational licensing boards: physicians are protected from certain disciplinary actions when they recommend non-FDA-approved COVID-19 treatments given independent medical judgment and patient consent; boards are restricted in taking action under these circumstances.
• Patients, pharmacies, and health care facilities: patients may request off-label or non-FDA-approved COVID-19 treatments and must provide written informed consent; pharmacies must fill such prescriptions; facilities must provide off-label treatments on request; violations can lead to civil lawsuits.

Key Provisions

• Defines terms related to COVID-19, treatment, license, occupational licensing board, pharmacy, health care facility, FDA approval, and off-label use.
• Licensing boards may not revoke/suspend/deny a physician's license solely for recommending a COVID-19 treatment if independent medical judgment is used and written informed consent is obtained.
• Pharmacies may not block access to non-FDA-approved COVID-19 treatments prescribed by a physician; they must fulfill these prescriptions.
• Written informed consent must include FDA-approved options, identification of the proposed treatment, potential outcomes (including risks and possible harm), and a liability release.
• Physicians and patients may bring civil actions for violations by licensing boards, pharmacies, or facilities, with remedies such as injunctive relief and recovery of attorney fees and costs.
• Health care facilities must not deny off-label use of FDA-approved drugs at the patient's request; patients may sue facilities for violations, with remedies including injunctions and costs.
• Effective date: the act becomes law immediately after the governor signs it or it becomes law by other means.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Covid-19