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.
Vulnerable Dem’s own audit admits Medicaid oversight failure amid massive statewide fraud scandal
Docs Expose Fauci, Shows He Complained About Pre-COVID ‘Doomsday’ Warning Then Erased it from Existence
‘Jesus was a radical’: Progressives invoke Christ to sell left-wing agenda on campaign trail
Inside the dangerous US mission that cleared Iran’s mines from Hormuz shipping lanes
Abdul El-Sayed shares dozens of donors with ex-GOP candidate at center of antisemitism controversy
Marine Le Pen’s last stand: National Rally leader polling far ahead for 2027 presidential election after three previous defeats
Grand Canyon flash flood leaves 1 dead and several missing or unaccounted for, park service says
Duffy teases ‘unprecedented fraud crackdown’ announcement with DHS, DOJ
Accused NC killer mom plans insanity defense — as retired judge says more may follow Lindsay Clancy strategy
Beloved Texas chiropractor, hiking group among those unaccounted for after Grand Canyon flash flood
California mom has both legs amputated after suspected impaired driver plows into her restaurant lunch table
Airport chaos erupts after driver suddenly smashes through fence, hits plane and tractor: police
Breaking: US Forces Decimate Iranian Launchers, Stop IRGC’s Attempted Retaking of Hormuz
Urgent search underway for more than 20 people after Grand Canyon flash flood
DC public schools face special grand jury probe into attendance, truancy and graduation records
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.”
Vulnerable Dem’s own audit admits Medicaid oversight failure amid massive statewide fraud scandal
Docs Expose Fauci, Shows He Complained About Pre-COVID ‘Doomsday’ Warning Then Erased it from Existence
‘Jesus was a radical’: Progressives invoke Christ to sell left-wing agenda on campaign trail
Inside the dangerous US mission that cleared Iran’s mines from Hormuz shipping lanes
Abdul El-Sayed shares dozens of donors with ex-GOP candidate at center of antisemitism controversy
Marine Le Pen’s last stand: National Rally leader polling far ahead for 2027 presidential election after three previous defeats
Grand Canyon flash flood leaves 1 dead and several missing or unaccounted for, park service says
Duffy teases ‘unprecedented fraud crackdown’ announcement with DHS, DOJ
Accused NC killer mom plans insanity defense — as retired judge says more may follow Lindsay Clancy strategy
Beloved Texas chiropractor, hiking group among those unaccounted for after Grand Canyon flash flood
California mom has both legs amputated after suspected impaired driver plows into her restaurant lunch table
Airport chaos erupts after driver suddenly smashes through fence, hits plane and tractor: police
Breaking: US Forces Decimate Iranian Launchers, Stop IRGC’s Attempted Retaking of Hormuz
Urgent search underway for more than 20 people after Grand Canyon flash flood
DC public schools face special grand jury probe into attendance, truancy and graduation records
President Donald Trump has suggested that hydroxychloroquine could be effective, and has encouraged further study. His interest in the drug has prompted pushback from the media.
NBC News’ Peter Alexander accused the president last week of giving Americans “false hope,” and Politico’s Dan Diamond reported Sunday that the FDA decision came despite “scant evidence,” adding that “[c]areer scientists have been skeptical of the effort.”
Story cited here.
