US FDA revokes emergency authorisation for HCQ championed by President Trump

Washington D.C. [US], June 15 (ANI): The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Monday revoked the emergency use authorization for malaria drug hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) as a treatment for COVID-19, the use of which has been championed by President Donald Trump.
According to The New York Times report, the FDA said it was revoking emergency authorization of two malaria drugs -- hydroxychloroquine and a related drug, chloroquine - to treat COVID-19, saying that they are "unlikely to be effective."
The agency had in March, authorized stockpiles of the drugs to be used in hospitals to treat patients with the virus.
Last month, US President had said he was taking HCQ, an anti-malarial drug that he often touted as a potential treatment for coronavirus.
Later, he had defended his decision to take HCQ saying he believes that it gives an additional level of safety.
Responding to a question on why he continues to use the drug, the US President had said: "If you look at some of the reports that came out from Italy, that came out from France, that came out from other -- a lot of our frontline workers take it because it possibly, and I think it does, but you know, people are going to have to make up their own mind."
"Plus, it doesn't hurt people. It's been out on the market for 60 or 65 years for malaria, lupus, and other things. I think it gives you an additional level of safety," he had said.
The New York Times reported that in a letter on Monday, revoking the authorization, the FDA said that further studies have shown that the two drugs were unlikely to be effective in stopping the virus and that current national treatment guidelines don't recommend using them outside of clinical trials. (ANI)