Hydroxychloroquine ineffective in treating COVID-19: FDA

WASHINGTON D.C.: The Food and Drug Administration(FDA) on June 15 revoked emergency use of malaria drugs hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine, which was granted late March, and was backed by President Donald Trump, amid growing evidence that it was ineffective to treat coronavirus and also cited reports of heart complications and other side effects from the drug.

The agency in a separate announcement warned against the prescription of anti-malarial drugs in combination with Remdesivir as it could reduce its effectiveness to treat COVID-19 patients. So far, no study has been able to prove the safety and affectivity of the drugs, but a string of recent studies has made clear that it does more harm than good.

The use of these drugs can cause heart rhythm problems, severely low blood pressure and muscle or nerve damage and nearly 390 reports of complications with the drugs, including more than 100 involving serious heart problems have been received by the agency.

The agency’s move will stop the distribution of drugs received by the federal government to the state and local health authorities for use against the coronavirus.