Across the world, scientists are searching for ways to fight COVID-19. What might prevent people from catching the coronavirus that causes the disease? And in people who are infected, what treatments might reduce symptoms or slow COVID-19’s spread?
The COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel recommends against the use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine (a less-toxic derivative of chloroquine) for the treatment of COVID-19 in patients. The ruling came after the FDA expressed concerns about the drugs' 'safety and how well they worked against the virus after earlier studies showed they promise in preventing hospitalization
What Is It?
Chloroquine is a low-cost drug that has been in use for decades. First discovered in 1934, it is the synthetic version of quinine, an antimalarial drug derived from the bark of the cinchona tree. Chloroquine is taken as a pill that you swallow. It’s already approved by the FDA to treat malaria as well as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.
What Does the Science Say?
As far back as the late 1960s, scientists have known that chloroquine could kill viruses in a petri dish. Chloroquine is also commonly taken to prevent and treat malaria infection in areas where the disease is widespread.
But what about people who have infections other than malaria? That’s less clear. Human studies in influenza and dengue have shown no effect, either good or bad. And in chikungunya, though chloroquine did well in lab tests, later research showed it might make the illness worse.
Researchers around the world studied hydroxychloroquine’s effects in people with COVID-19. Some found early evidence of an effect against the new coronavirus. But many of those trials were stopped when they failed to show results or found serious side effects.
What Are the Side Effects?
Chloroquine can upset your stomach, so people take it with food. Other side effects include headache, poor appetite, diarrhea, stomach pain, skin rash or itching, hair loss, and mood changes. Most of these problems are mild and temporary.
More serious side effects include eye problems (light flashes or streaks, blurred vision, difficulty reading), ear problems (ringing, trouble hearing), muscle weakness, drowsiness, vomiting, convulsions (sudden, unusual movement), irregular heartbeat, and breathing problems.
Be aware: If you take too much chloroquine, it can cause heart problems that can be life-threatening. It can also suppress the immune system. So only take this medicine under a doctor’s supervision.
What’s the Bottom Line?
Remember, top experts do not recommend using chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19.
The risks of taking them outweigh the possible benefits. Doctors had thought chloroquine might reduce how long people with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 symptoms feel sick but instead found that they ran the risk of serious heart rhythm problems and other safety issues, including blood and lymph system disorders, kidney injuries, and liver problems and failure.