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Coronavirus infections

FDA Warns Against Use of Hydroxychloroquine and Chloroquine for COVID-19 Treatment

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The US Food and Drug Administration has warned against the use of two drugs, hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine, that have been touted by President Donald Trump as potential treatments for the novel coronavirus. The agency warned that the drugs can cause serious heart rhythm problems, especially when combined with other medications. Despite a lack of evidence, Trump has repeatedly mentioned the drugs as a potential solution to the pandemic, citing their potential as a "game changer." However, a growing body of evidence suggests that the drugs may not help COVID-19 patients and may even do more harm.

Key Takeaways:

  • The FDA warned against the use of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine in outpatient settings due to the risk of serious side effects, including heart rhythm problems.
  • The drugs should only be used in hospitals or clinical trials where patients can be closely monitored and supervised.
  • A growing body of evidence suggests that the drugs may not help COVID-19 patients and may even do more harm, with some studies finding no statistically significant difference in outcomes between patients who took the drugs and those who did not.
  • President Trump has mentioned the drugs nearly 50 times since mid-March, despite a lack of evidence supporting their effectiveness.
  • The FDA emphasized that patients taking the drugs for approved reasons, such as treating malaria or certain autoimmune conditions, should continue taking their medicine as prescribed.
  • Studies have found that patients taking hydroxychloroquine were no more likely to survive their infections than those who did not, and that the drug may even increase the risk of death.
  • The FDA is monitoring serious side effects in coronavirus patients who took the drugs and has reported cases of abnormal heart rhythms, including ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation.

Statistics:

  • 50: The number of times President Trump has mentioned hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine as potential treatments for COVID-19 since mid-March.
  • 600: The number of patients in a study conducted by the New York state Department of Health who took hydroxychloroquine with or without azithromycin, which found no statistically significant difference in recovery rates.
  • 181: The number of patients in a French study who took hydroxychloroquine and developed abnormal heart rhythms.
  • 25%: The proportion of patients in a VA study who took hydroxychloroquine and had higher death rates compared to those who did not take the drug.

Sources:

  • Arman Azad (CNN) - "FDA warns against use of two COVID-19 treatments touted by Trump"
  • FDA press release - "FDA cautions against use of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine for COVID-19 treatment"
  • New York state Department of Health study - "Effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine in treating COVID-19"
  • University at Albany School of Public Health study - "Hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin for COVID-19 treatment"
  • Department of Veterans Affairs study - "Hydroxychloroquine and COVID-19 treatment outcomes"
  • French study published on a pre-print server - "Effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine in treating COVID-19"

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