The Most Promising Medical Treatments for COVID-19

2. Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine

Both of them have been around for decades and these two drugs are currently approved to treat malaria and autoimmune conditions such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Take note that there’s only limited evidence from lab and animal studies (not human studies) to suggest they might work against the new coronavirus.

Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine “are known to have anti-inflammatory properties that may make them effective against inflammation due to Covid-19,” says Dr. Desruisseaux.

So, there’s actually no evidence that anti-malaria drug pushed by Trump works against virus. There are 40 locations across the country participating in clinical trials, says William Schaffner, MD, an infectious diseases specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville.

The Food and Drug Administration issued conditional approval of the drugs for the treatment of COVID-19 when clinical trials weren’t available, on March 28. Just take into consideration that both drugs can cause severe side effects—including cardiac arrest, warns Dr. Desruisseaux.

Also, remember that on April 1, the International Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy announced concerns over a March 2020 study published in the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents on the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin for COVID-19.

The society’s statement questioned whether the study met standards ensuring patient safety.