Board: Physician-legislator's COVID directive has no weight

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - The Kansas board that licenses health care providers raised concerns Friday about a letter that a physician-legislator sent to doctors suggesting that they prescribe ivermectin and other medications that aren't approved to treat the virus.

The Kansas Board of Healing Arts said that the ``unprecedented'' letter from Kansas Sen. Mark Steffen carried no legal or regulatory weight but has caused ``confusion and concern'' in the Kansas medical community.

The Kansas City Star reports that Steffen, who is an anesthesiologist, said that health care providers will be shielded from the board's ``interference'' in the letter that he sent last week on Senate stationery.

The Hutchinson Republican said previously that the board is investigating him.