Participate in this COVID-19 poll: https://forms.gle/kzTUD2of4Htjni6m9
Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is an anti-malarial prescription drug that is also used to treat lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis. The drug is used in malaria as it kills the malarial parasite and its use for other conditions mentioned are said to be due to its immune system modifying effect. The drug sales have suddenly picked up and in fact, most areas of the country are facing a shortage due to a tweet by the US President Donald Trump in which he mentioned the potential of HCQ in treating COVID-19.
According to the DGCI, HCQ was found to be effective in lab and in-vivo studies to reduce the viral load in COVID-19 patients. The same was confirmed by the ICMR and it was advised to reserve the drug for prophylaxis to doctors and contacts of lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases.
A small non-randomised clinical trial conducted in France found that HCQ is promising in the treatment of COVID-19 cases. Another trial conducted in a small group of people at the Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University in China has confirmed the potential of HCQ in the treatment of COVID-19.
With most research labs across the world trying to develop a vaccine to beat the COVID-19, HCQ appears to be a faint glimmer of hope to manage the global pandemic situation.
