.
WELCOME BACK HERE AT 5:00
P.M.
WE HAVE BEEN HEAR ABOUT THE
ANTI-MALARIA DRUG
HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE.
IT IS A SOURCE OF HOPE AND
CONTROVERSY IN THE TREATMENT OF
COVID-19.
CBS 2'S DR. MAX GOMEZ SORTS IT
OUT FOR US.
Reporter: ANY DOCTOR CAN
LEGALLY PRESCRIBE
HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE OFF LABEL.
MANY DRUGS ARE PRESCRIBED THIS
WAY.
THE QUESTION IS WHETHER
HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE ARE
EFFECTIVE AGAINST THIS
CORONAVIRUS AND WHETHER IT IS
SAFE.
SAFETY SEEMS PRETTY GOOD FOR
SHORT TERM USE, ALTHOUGH IT CAN
CAUSARDIAC ERYTHEMA SO THE
PATIENT AS THE BE MONITORED.
AS FOR BENEFIT, EVIDENCE IN
SMALL STUDIES OUT OF FRANCE AND
CHINA SUGGEST THAT IT MIGHT BE
BENEFICIAL AGAINST COVID-19 BUT
OTHER STUDIES SAY JUST THE
OPPOSITE.
THE DIFFERENCE MIGHT BE IN WHEN
THE DRUG IS GIVEN.
BECAUSE SOME STUDIES SHOWN THAT
HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE AND THE
ANTIBIOTIC USED WITH
HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE, SEEM TO
HAVE SOME ANTI-VIRAL EFFECT.
THAT IS WHAT DOCTORS SAY IT IS
HELPFUL MAYBE ONLY WHEN IT IS
GIVEN AT THE ONSET OF SYMPTOMS.
TRIALS AND STUDIES TRIED IT
WHEN THE PATIENT IS
HOSPITALIZED AND ON A
VENTILATOR.
BUT NOW THAT HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE
IS BEING TOUTED AS A TREATMENT
FOR COVID-19, THERE IS A RISK
OF SHORTAGES FOR PEOPLE WHO
NEED FOR PRE-EXISTING
CONDITIONS, ESPECIALLY IF
UNINFECTED PEOPLE START TO
HOARD THE DRUG JUST IN CASE
THEY GET SICK OR IF THEY TAKE
IT TO KEEP FROM GETTING SICK.
THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT
HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE WORKS THAT
WAY AT ALL.
THAT LEAD TO SEVERE
RESTRICTIONS IN GETTING THE
DRUG.
NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ALLOW
HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE PRESCRIPTION
ONLY AFTER A POSITIVE
CORONAVIRUS TEST WHICH CAN TAKE
DAYS TO COME BACK AND IN NEW
YORK, ONLY IF THE PATIENT IS IN
A CLINICAL TRIAL.
