Image Credit: State Senator Richard Briggs / Facebook & Canva
Tennessee Conservative News [By Olivia Lupia] –
In a recent article which disparaged the passage of the 2022 Tennessee law permitting over the counter (OTC) access to ivermectin, Republican State Senator Richard Briggs said he plans to introduce legislation in 2027 to limit the sale of the drug as he believes allowing Tennesseans to have this more holistic choice in their healthcare options has created a “dangerous” market.
Often labeled as “controversial” by mainstream medical and media outlets, ivermectin gained popularity during the covid era as a more natural preventative and remedy, though the drug has long been effectively used in many other therapeutic capacities including some promising potential in cancer treatment.
Through groundbreaking legislation, Tennessee paved the way in creating access to ivermectin without a prescription, with several other states later following suit.
The piece from KFF Health News, which labels itself “the independent source for health policy research, polling, and news,” said the Tennessee law’s passage “blindsided state medical officials and handed a victory to medical groups that spread covid misinformation”
It further claims the popularity of ivermectin surged during covid because of “fringe doctors and anti-vaccine activists” and cites several physicians who believe the easy accessibility of the drug will “lure people away from proven treatments.”
“It’s going back to 19th-century quack science,” UCLA internal medicine physician John Mafi said about off-label use of ivermectin. “It is alarming that I’m seeing this really unproven therapy being touted to so many potentially vulnerable Americans.”
Shant Garabedian, a doctor on Tennessee’s Board of Osteopathic Examination, said ivermectin is “an unproved, potentially unsafe drug,” though there has been plenty of research standing contrary to that statement, including from the FDA which has declared it to be generally safe. In fact, the drug has won a Nobel Prize for its proven efficacy against certain parasites and Malaria.
But apparently, at least one elected member of Tennessee’s General Assembly seems to agree with the anti-ivermectin sentiments espoused in the article. Sen. Richard Briggs, who was the only Republican to vote against the 2022 bill, said he is worried that lawmakers have created a “dangerous” ivermectin market filled with “misleading advertising” about what the drug can actually accomplish.
Instead of trusting individuals in Tennessee to properly research and discuss proper types, dosage amounts, or functions of ivermectin with their healthcare providers, Briggs believes the state government should instead regulate access and plans to introduce legislation to “rein in the sale” of the drug when lawmakers reconvene for the 2027 session.
“But it may be a hard sell, because with the anti-vaxxers and some of these other folks,” Briggs said. “We don’t base a lot of things that we do on science, data, or facts. To a lot of folks in the legislature, the facts are just an inconvenience.”
Besides voting against the ivermectin bill, Briggs has a lengthy track record of standing against medical freedom for Tennesseans including:
- Sponsoring legislation to sneak vaccinations without parental consent
- Voting against requiring parental consent for vaccinations
- Voting to shield pesticide makers from legal liability
- Voting against granting parents the right to access all their child’s health treatment records
- Consistently working to undermine or dismantle legal protections for the unborn
- Sponsoring legislation codifying a “right” to indiscriminately create and discard human embryos through fertility treatments and technology like IFV with no regulation.
Those interested in health and medical freedom may wish to know that Briggs, who has been recognized as one of the Senate’s Top 5 RINOs in every edition of RINO Report since 2022, does have a primary opponent for the Aug. 6 election.
Known conservative Kent Morrell currently serves on the Republican State Executive Committee (District 7) and has done extensive work in advocacy for parental rights and medical freedom. He further believes in limiting the role of government, reducing the influence of special interest lobbyists, and “restoring liberty to the people of Tennessee.”
To learn more, visit Morrell’s official campaign website: https://www.sendkent.com/. Early voting begins July 17.
Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
7 Responses
It sounds like to me Mr Biggs has been helped by the Pharmaceutical Companies.
I really cannot stand this guy, he is so cocky and vain. I will not be voting for him in the primary. He needs to go back home and be the smartest person in the buidling. I mean, I know he thinks he’s the smartest person in the room regardless.
The most likely explanation for Tennessee Senator Richard Briggs’ desire to limit Ivermectin access is that he is owned and controlled by the pharmaceutical industry, like many so many of our representatives. Ivermectin, which received the Nobel Prize, is one of the safest medications around and very effective at treating certain conditions.
The “dangerous market” was created by the medical/pharmaceutical industries during Covid by rejecting treatments like Ivermectin that proved effective for some people, and the medical establishment’s threats, bullying and censoring of qualified medical professionals who dared to question the Covid protocols used that the data now clearly shows caused unnecessary deaths and injuries.
In a recent op-ed, U.S. Senator Ron Johnson—who held a hearing and released a report titled “Unmasked: How Biden Health Officials Purposely Turned a Blind Eye Toward COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Signals”—called what happened “the biggest government scandal in my lifetime.” He noted the following:
“Currently, VAERS [Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System] shows 1,676,100 cumulative worldwide adverse events and 39,099 deaths associated with the COVID-19 injection, with 9,332 (24%) of the deaths occurring within 2 days of injection. Most of these tragic adverse events occurred well after federal health officials should have informed the public about the risks they knew existed. Instead, they hid or downplayed those risks. As a result, millions were harmed after being denied their right to fully informed consent.”
Read Sen. Johnson’s full op ed here:
https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/2026/06/18/the-story-the-media-and-the-government-dont-want-you-to-hear/
What do you have to say about those inconvenient facts, Rep. Briggs? Where is your concern for the millions of individuals Sen. Johnson says were harmed and denied informed consent? In reality, you are the one promoting dangerous ideology by spreading propaganda and attempting to limit media freedom. Leave us alone. And best wishes to Kent Morrell for a successful Aug. 6 primary election against you.
Thanx. He’s lucifer’s own, working for lucifer’s pharma, NOT US!!
He needs to be defeated.
Senator Richard Briggs (a cardiothoracic surgeon) clearly believes he knows better than the average Tennessean about what they should be allowed to put in their own body. His mindset in plain English is he sees himself as the highly educated medical professional and knows all. He views most people pushing for easy Ivermectin access as either misinformed, conspiracy-minded, or gullible. He genuinely thinks it’s his job to “protect” people from making bad decisions….. even if that means taking away their freedom to try something relatively safe and works on their own. He would be better to just state his thoughts/opinion on easy Ivermectin access and shut up. The smartest man in the room can’t see that and barrels on with more invasive legislation.
This attitude is very common among certain doctors/surgeons who go into politics. They spend their careers being the smartest person in the operating room, then bring that same superiority complex into lawmaking. The arrogance problem….. Even if Briggs is partially right that Ivermectin was overhyped for COVID, his instinct to restrict adult access again shows classic establishment thinking “I’m a doctor + senator, so I should decide for you.” Ignores the fact millions of people used it anyway and many said it helped them. Comes across as tone-deaf after years of government lying, censorship, and changing rules on COVID treatments that actually worked not like the vaccine that didn’t. Especially after Tulsi’s release of Fauci’s emails and other info that flushed the toilet on the Dems whole COVID narrative.
A lot of Tennesseans especially after the Biden years, don’t want another “trust the experts” politician taking their options away. (a least it’s not a cross-dresser man) Tennesseans want medical freedom to make our own risk/reward decision with your doctor or on your own. Yes, I think Briggs thinks he’s the smartest guy in the room and should be the one setting limits on what grown adults can buy over the counter. That attitude is exactly why he’s catching serious heat right now.
(A low whispering can be heard saying) What a pompous… arrogant… know-it-all a-hole………
Briggs and the rest of the Pfizer whores that shilled for the Covid-19 vaccine are accessories to and conspired with Pfizer to commit first degree murder. Briggs had additional financial conflict of interest as the known heart damage caused by the Pfizer vaccine contributed to his customer base if they survived the initial murder attempt.
https://www.scribd.com/document/517607315/State-senators-urge-Tennesseans-to-get-COVID-19-vaccine