Houston doctor Mary Bowden is offering ivermectin to Texans years after gaining attention during the COVID-19 pandemic. Saulo Angelo/Getty Images

A Houston doctor who became one of the country's most controversial voices during the COVID-19 pandemic is now offering to sell ivermectin directly to Texans—while again promoting the drug for use against another viral illness—hantavirus.

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Mary Bowden shared the post on X Thursday morning, saying she would exclusively sell the ivermectin to Texans for 100 tablets, 12 mg and 18 mg at $85 and $110, respectively.

I’ll be selling ivermectin for Texans only, no prescription needed….

- 12mg, 100 count, $85

- 18mg, 100 count, $110

Made in the USA. Stay tuned. — Mary Talley Bowden MD (@MaryBowdenMD) May 7, 2026

The announcement came just a day after Bowden shared on X that she believed ivermectin "should work" against hantavirus, a rare but potentially deadly disease that has recently resurfaced in public conversation following a cruise ship outbreak.

"Ivermectin blocks RNA viruses from entering the nucleus, inhibits viral replication, disrupts the integrity of the viral membrane and can prevent viral replication," she said.

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Two of the passengers on the cruise ship that experienced the hantavirus outbreak are Texas residents, the Department of State Health Services said, adding they are not currently experiencing any symptoms.

Hantavirus is a RNA virus, and ivermectin should work against it.

Ivermectin blocks RNA viruses from entering the nucleus, inhibits viral replication, disrupts integrity of the viral membrane and can prevent viral replication. — Mary Talley Bowden MD (@MaryBowdenMD) May 6, 2026

Doctors and public health experts, however, have pushed back against her claims and the FDA has not approved ivermectin as a treatment for hantavirus.

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This is also not the first time Bowden has faced scrutiny for her claim, but it comes amid recent changes to Texas law surrounding ivermectin access. The FDA states ivermectin tablets are approved "at specific doses to treat some parasitic worms," along with certain topical uses for conditions like head lice and rosacea.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Bowden became one of the country's most prominent advocates for prescribing ivermectin to patients with the virus despite repeated federal warnings that the drug had not been authorized as a COVID treatment.

At the time, Bowden was employed with Houston Methodist and is currently embroiled in a legal battle with the Texas Medical Board after she was disciplined for treating patients without authorization. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's office joined her fight in mid-February 2026.

"I will not stand by as Dr. Bowden has her Constitutional rights trampled and ability to serve her patients impeded with an illegal reprimand,” Paxton said in a public statement at the time. "Dr. Bowden has been a champion for health freedom, selflessly served her patients, and acted in full accordance with the law."

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In September 2025, Greg Abbott signed House Bill 25 into law during the state's 89th legislative session, allowing pharmacists to dispense ivermectin without a prescription.

Still, the Texas Medical Board has continued defending its disciplinary action against Bowden.

"TMB has provided ample justification for disciplining Dr. Bowden for attempting to treat a patient at a hospital in which she did not have privileges," officials said in their latest statement. "TMB intends to vigorously contest these claims and will stand firm to ensure hospitalized Texans receive care from doctors who are authorized to be on hospital premises."

In an emailed statement to Chron, Bowden said her new effort to sell ivermectin directly to Texans was not tied to the recent hantavirus concerns.

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"I've been working on making this happen ever since Texas passed a law making it available to Texans without a prescription," Bowden explained. "Despite the new law, it’s still very difficult and unnecessarily expensive to obtain."

This hasn't stopped people from reacting to Bowden's posts.

"How do you still have an active medical license?" one user asked.

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"The grift that keeps on giving," another person said.

I can’t. — Mary Talley Bowden MD (@MaryBowdenMD) May 7, 2026