This archive report was first published on 15 May 2020.
Published on May 15, 2020, two new studies have cast doubt on the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in treating COVID-19 patients.
US President Donald Trump had previously touted HCQ as a potential 'game changer' in the fight against the virus, citing initial studies that suggested it may be able to prevent the virus from replicating.
However, several subsequent studies, including one funded by the US government, have failed to support these claims.
One study, conducted in France, monitored 181 patients hospitalised with pneumonia due to COVID-19 and who needed oxygen. The researchers found no meaningful difference between patients who were treated with HCQ and those who were not.
"Hydroxychloroquine has received worldwide attention as a potential treatment for COVID-19 because of positive results from small studies," said the authors of the research, published in the BMJ journal. "However, the results of this study do not support its use in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 who require oxygen."
"Hydroxychloroquine has received worldwide attention as a potential treatment for COVID-19 because of positive results from small studies," said the authors of the research, published in the BMJ journal. "However, the results of this study do not support its use in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 who require oxygen." — BMJ Journal
A second study, conducted in China, also found no benefit in using HCQ to treat COVID-19 patients. The researchers split 150 patients into two groups, one of which received HCQ, and found that the treatment did not reduce the severity or duration of symptoms.
Additionally, the study found that adverse reactions to treatment were more common in the HCQ group.
Hydroxychloroquine and a related compound chloroquine have been used for decades to treat malaria, as well as the autoimmune disorders lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.
However, the European Medicines Agency has warned that there is no indication that HCQ can treat COVID-19, and that some studies have seen serious and sometimes fatal heart problems in patients.
