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.

Tlaib moves to block ICE airport arrests, says TSA helping target immigrants

Israel strikes Hezbollah in Lebanon as Rome peace talks continue

Exclusive: Grieving mom reveals deadly cost of illegal immigration as daughter’s killer seeks parole

‘Oxferd Comma’ investigation being declassified by White House, with John Solomon briefing

Putin selects commander to lead new drone warfare branch of Russian military

Trump Declares El-Sayed’s Michigan Win ‘Great News for the Republican Party’

Republican who reportedly dropped out defeats Trump’s pick in key swing-district primary

Republicans move to oust embattled Florida GOP lawmaker in bitter primary fight

Musk Issues Stark Counter-Threat After Mamdani Team Member Declared Him ‘Valid Military Target’ According to Report

House Republican Ends Re-Election Campaign After Ethics Committee Recommends Censure

SpaceX Rocket Collides with Moon at 5,400 MPH

Details on Heavily Armed Person Roaming Golf Course Before Trump Visit Emerge, Notebook Seized

Disturbing: Gossip Columnist Perez Hilton Hospitalized After Harming Self on TikTok Live Stream

Takeaways from crucial primary elections across the country and more top headlines

Suspects in deadly Connecticut home invasion arrested in attack that rocked beach town

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.”