FDA Pulls Emergency Use of Trump’s COVID-19 ‘Game Changer’ Hydroxychloroquine

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced it is pulling the emergency use of the anti-malaria drugs, chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, for COVID-19.

President Donald Trump claimed in May that he was taking hydroxychloroquine to prevent infection from the coronavirus, but White House physician Dr. Sean Conley did not confirm anything more than a discussion took place.

REPORTER: Have you or Sec. Azar pressured or asked scientists in the administration to promote hydroxychloroquine?

TRUMP: "Well, I never spoke to a scientist."

(Trump then promotes hydroxychloroquine, even though a study released this week found it's not effective for Covid) pic.twitter.com/9czSRYjTpP

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 24, 2020

The FDA ruled that chloroquine (CQ) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) are “unlikely to be effective in treating COVID-19 for the authorized uses in the EUA,” noted CNBC:

Additionally, in light of ongoing serious cardiac adverse events and other serious side effects, the known and potential benefits of CQ and HCQ no longer outweigh the known and potential risks for the authorized use.

The FDA issued the emergency use authorization for chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in March, but warned in April about using the drugs outside a hospital or a formal clinical trial due to the risk of “serious heart rhythm problems.”

(Sources: CNBC, Fox News via Twitter)