The FDA advised consumers against taking hydroxychloroquine for Covid-19 outside a hospital or formal clinical trial setting due to the risk of « serious heart rhythm problems. »
The U. S. Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday that taking hydroxychloroquine is « ultimately » a choice between patients and their health-care providers, appearing to soften its earlier advisory against taking the anti-malaria drug outside of a hospital.
« The decision to take any drug is ultimately a decision between a patient and their doctor, » FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn said in a statement to CNBC. « Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine are already FDA-approved for treating malaria, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis. »
The comments came a day after President Donald Trump said he has been taking hydroxychloroquine daily for over a week to prevent infection from the coronavirus. He said he asked his White House physician about the drug. « I asked him, ‘What do you think?’ He said, ‘Well, if you’d like it.’ I said, ‘Yeah, I’d like it. I’d like to take it.' »
However, in a warning issued last month, the FDA advised consumers against taking drugs chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine for Covid-19 outside a hospital or formal clinical trial due to the risk of « serious heart rhythm problems.
