President Donald Trump said during a press conference on Sunday that the US government has stockpiled 29 million hydroxychloroquine pills as a potential way to combat the spread of COVID-19. During the same press conference, the president prevented Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, from answering a question about the drug. Hydroxychloroquine is being tested, but so far has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for COVID-19.
Fauci addressed the issue on CBS on Saturday
Official advice from the FDA
From COVID19 patients and doctors, I’ve heard mixed results on hydroxychloroquine, from good to bad results. No one should try it without supervision of health care provider.
Bottom line from the FDA is there is currently NO “approved product available to treat COVID-19
FDA: “Taking hydroxychloroquine sulfate may benefit certain patients hospitalized with COVID-19 for whom a clinical trial is not available, or participation is not feasible. Talk to your health care provider if you have questions.
FDA: “The most common side effects reported are stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and headache. These side effects can often be lessened by taking hydroxychloroquine sulfate with food. Hydroxychloroquine sulfate may also cause itching in some people.
FDA: “Minor side effects, such as nausea, occasional vomiting, or diarrhea, usually do not require stopping the drug.
FDA: “If you cannot tolerate hydroxychloroquine sulfate, or experience irregular heartbeats, fainting or low blood sugar, convulsions or seizures, yellowing of the eyes, seeing light flashes or streaks, blurred vision, difficulty hearing, ringing in ears, muscle weakness,
Jake Tapper