Global medical community rejects use of malaria drugs to prevent Covid-19

US President Donald Trump on May 19 defended his use of the prescription malaria drug to prevent the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Mr. Trump said he consulted with the White House physician about taking the drug and had been taking it for about a week and a half with zinc supplements. The US leader affirmed that using hydroxychloroquine would ensure an additional level of safety for users.

“If you look at some of the reports coming out of France, some of the reports coming out of Italy, some of the reports coming out of frontline health care workers, they’re thinking the same thing. But you know, people have to make their own decisions. This drug has been on the market for 60 or 65 years for malaria, lupus, other things,” Trump said.

President Trump's announcement was immediately met with opposition from many international health experts. Experts asserted that the effectiveness of this drug in treating Covid-19 patients has not been proven, nor is there evidence that it has a preventive effect. Dominique Costagliola - a French epidemiologist said that President Donald Trump's public advocacy of the use of hydroxychloroquine to prevent Covid-19 could create dangerous misunderstandings among the people.

“Many people will take this drug without thinking and there will certainly be serious side effects for some people. So the statements from the leaders are very dangerous. For preventive prescriptions, you need to take into account all the effects, especially when you are not sick,” said Mr Costagliola.

Dr. Michael Head of the University of Southampton, UK also affirmed that although preclinical trials showed the usefulness of hydroxychloroquine, there is no evidence that this drug can prevent Covid-19.

Dr. Michael Head also emphasized that not everyone understands the dangerous side effects of this drug: “There is a lot we don’t know about hydroxychloroquine, especially in relation to Covid-19. We know that this drug has side effects regardless of how it is used for treatment, which can cause nausea and vomiting.

It even causes heart problems, more serious ones are seizures and delirium. It is not a drug without side effects. When there is no scientific evidence, using the drug for other purposes is unreasonable.

Hydroxychloroquine and its related compound chloroquine have been used for decades to treat malaria, immune disorders, and rheumatoid arthritis. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently advised against using the two anti-malarial drugs in treating Covid-19 patients due to the risk of causing serious heart rhythm problems.

The FDA recommends that the drug be used only in emergency cases for treatment when there is no other optimal solution. Health Canada and the European Medicines Agency also oppose the use of hydroxychloroquine to treat Covid-19, except in clinical trials./.