THE anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine is being widely promoted as a “cure” for COVID-19, but we still lack good data on its true benefits. Some small clinical trials have shown possible benefits. But others have shown the opposite. Anecdotal reports don’t really show whether the drug works and just as importantly, whether it is safe.
The anti-malarial drug hydroxychlor-oquine remains one of the most hyped potential treatments for Covid-19, especially on social media. However, claims about the effectiveness of this “miracle drug” against the novel coronavirus have far outpaced the available clinical data.
Some small clinical trials have shown possible benefits. But others have shown the opposite.
Until we have results from larger, well-designed trials which are currently underway hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine should only be used under the close supervision of a physician. One of the first studies to suggest that hydroxychloroquine, in combination with the antibiotic azithromycin, might work as a treatment for Covid-19 was done in France.
The preliminary results from this study were quickly shared on social media as “proof” of the drug’s effectiveness. The French study, though, had several design flaws, including its small size and how patients were enrolled into the study. Since the study’s release, the journal in which the paper appeared issued a statement of concern about some aspects of the study’s design.
The New York Times later reported that Trump has a “small personal financial interest” in Sanofi, the French manufacturer that makes Plaquenil, the brand-name version of hydroxychloroquine. In addition, results from other small trials and paper preprints suggest that hydroxychloroquine is not effective against Covid-19. Newsweek also reports that hospitals in Sweden have stopped using chloroquine to treat patients with Covid-19 after reports that it causes vision loss and blinding headaches.
HOW A PET CAN HELP YOU WHILE YOU SHELTER IN PLACE: The experts say a pet can help people deal with loneliness and isolation during Covid-19 shelter in place orders. They add that pets, especially dogs, can help motivate people to go outside to exercise and take breaks from work. Pet adoptions are on the rise during the Covid-19 outbreak, but experts say people should take into consideration where they live and whether they have time to shop for pet food or take an animal to a vet.
