Today, the European Union (EU) Medicine Agency has warned that the anti-malaria drugs, chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine should only be administered during national emergencies.
Since the discovery of the coronavirus responding to the two malaria drugs through a clinical trial test last two weeks, countries are expanding access to the two compounds, which are commonly used in the treatment of Malaria and were discovered to possess anti-viral properties.
The medicine having tested in China and France have indicated potency against the COVID-19 in its early experiment.
However, the EUMA has cautioned that the said drug should not be used to treat COVID-19 cases unless where it is considered necessary.
The statement reads;
“It is very important that patients and healthcare professionals only use chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine for their authorised uses or as part of clinical trials or national emergency-use programmes for the treatment of COVID-19,” it said.
The statement further explained that the drug has adverse potential side effects, especially when taken over-dose or administered in relation to other medications that have a sensitivity to the compound.
The statement further warned that;
“They must not be used without a prescription and without supervision by a doctor; prescriptions should not be given outside their authorised uses except in the setting of a clinical trial or nationally agreed protocols,”
Meanwhile, there is a growing fear that out of disparity that shortage of the drug might likely be possible, the less risky especially that it is used for the treatment of arthritis.
Many countries are currently conducting the clinical trial of the chloroquine as part of their campaign to quench the COVID-19 pandemic.
