Chloroquine and the related drug Hydroxy-Chloroquine are drugs commonly used to prevent and treat Malaria infections; and treat some Joint conditions.

During the initial stages of COVID-19 pandemic, there were some reports of Chloroquine being useful in treating Corona Virus.

A Chinese trial published in British Medical Journal BMJ now reports that ” Administration of hydroxychloroquine did not result in …. any meaningful antiviral benefits… compared to standard of care alone in patients admitted to hospital with mainly persistent mild to moderate covid-19”

Chloroquine was not only useless but it had significant side effects in a minority. So Chloroquine or Hydroxy-Chloroquine should not be used routinely outside a clinical trial setting.

References

1. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ). Wiki. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroxychloroquine

2. BMJ. Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in covid-19. BMJ 2020; 369 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m1432 (Published 08 April 2020)

3. Hydroxychloroquine in patients with mainly mild to moderate coronavirus disease 2019: open label, randomised controlled trial. BMJ 2020; 369 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m1849 (Published 14 May 2020)

Disclaimer: Please note- This blog is NOT medical advice. This blog is purely for information only and do check the the sources where cited. Please consult your own doctor to discuss concerns and options relevant to you.

The views expressed in this blog represent the author’s views held at the time of publication and is likely to change overtime, particularly when new evidence comes to light. The blog is not necessarily endorsed by any organisation the author is associated with and views are not substitute for professional advice.