FDA Gives Emergency Authorization of Hydroxychloroquine Use

The Food And Drug Administration (FDA) issued an emergency authorization Sunday for hydroxychloroquine, a drug already used to treat malaria and other ailments, which has shown anecdotal efficacy against coronavirus.

The use of the drug — often paired with azithromycin — has not yet been proven in clinical trials to be effective against the disease. However, given reported success in a growing number of small, non-randomized studies; as well as testimonials from doctors and patients about the use of the “off-label” drug regimen, doctors are said to be prescribing the treatment to patients who are severely ill. Anecdotally, many doctors are taking it prophylactically.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a statement on Sunday:

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to BARDA to allow hydroxychloroquine sulfate and chloroquine phosphate products donated to the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) to be distributed and prescribed by doctors to hospitalized teen and adult patients with COVID-19, as appropriate, when a clinical trial is not available or feasible.

Murdaugh ‘egg juror’ fights to crack open jury tampering investigation with records in court clerk scandal

Influencer mom, lawyer dad accused of dark-web murder plot against boy-band baby daddy

The Last Leg of Stephen Colbert’s Far-Left Farewell Tour Reminds Us Exactly Why CBS Canceled Him

Trump roasts Dem candidate as unelectable for cardinal sin in Texas

Transcript: Washington Examiner’s full interview with White House border czar Tom Homan

Jeff Bezos Gives AOC a Basic Economics Lesson After She Claims No One Can ‘Earn’ Billions

‘Babydog Justice’ back from surgery and feeling ‘paws-atively better’

‘Hunter Biden’ X account debuts with eyebrow-raising claim as GOP lawmakers pile on

Cuban ex-President Raul Castro indicted on charges including murder, conspiracy to kill US nationals

Trump-backed housing bill clears House after GOP defies Senate pressure campaign

Makeup Mogul Walks Away from Hollywood, Donates Fortune to Become Catholic Priest: ‘Never Been Happier’

‘Trying to Break Me… Because I am a Christian’: Ex-Lawmaker Targeted for 10 Commandments Capitol Monument

Georgetown Cupcake keg tosser suspected in second brazen M Street attack caught on video

Fmr Dem Rep Barney Frank, sharp-tongued liberal trailblazer, Dodd-Frank co-author dies

The red states charging ahead with America’s wealth as rivals watch billions slip away

HHS also noted that it had “accepted 30 million doses of hydroxychloroquine sulfate donated by Sandoz, the Novartis generics and biosimilars division, and one million doses of chloroquine phosphate donated by Bayer Pharmaceuticals, for possible use in treating patients hospitalized with COVID-19 or for use in clinical trials.”

Earlier, the French government had approved similar drugs to treat the virus.

Amid concerns that the sudden interest in hydroxychloroquine could cause shortages, HHS noted: “Use of the donated medications is expected to help ease supply pressures for the drug, and the FDA is also working with manufacturers of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine to increase production to ensure these drugs also remain available for patients dependent on them for treatment of malaria, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.”