In this April 9, 2020 file photo, a chemist displays hydroxychloroquine tablets in New Delhi, India. U.S. regulators are revoking emergency authorization for malaria drugs promoted by President Donald Trump for treating COVID-19. The Food and Drug Administration said Monday, June 15 that the drugs hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine are unlikely to be effective in treating the coronavirus. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup, File)
By Matthew Perrone
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is revoking its emergency authorization for malaria drugs promoted by President Donald Trump for treating COVID-19 amid growing evidence they don’t work and could cause deadly side effects.
The agency said Monday that the drugs hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine are unlikely to be effective in treating the coronavirus. Citing reports of heart complications, the FDA said the drugs pose a greater risk to patients than any potential benefits.
The decades-old drugs, also prescribed for lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, can cause heart rhythm problems, severely low blood pressure, and muscle or nerve damage.
The move means that shipments of the drugs obtained by the federal government will no longer be distributed to state and local health authorities. The drugs are still available for alternate uses, so U.S. doctors could still prescribe them for COVID-19 — a practice known as off-label prescribing.
On Thursday, a National Institutes of Health expert panel revised its guidelines to specifically recommend against the drug’s use except in formal studies.
Trump aggressively pushed the drug beginning in the first weeks of the outbreak and stunned medical professionals when he revealed he took the drug preemptively against infection.
GJ Hart, CEO of Red Robin, discusses the company's place in the "value wars," what's next for the restaurant and his thoughts on Shake Shack in the sky. Watch!
Chiza Vitta, Managing Director Global Analytics at S&P Global Ratings joined Cheddar to discuss S&P's recent Megatrend findings and other 2025 predictions.
Greg O'Hara CEO at Certares joined Cheddar to discuss his personal experience with Wellness Tourism and his predictions for the future of the growing industry.
Meghna Maharishi, Airlines Reporter at Skift, answers your biggest questions about what is happening since Spirit Airlines filed for bankruptcy. Watch!
Managing Director at Wells Fargo, Adam Davis, joins Cheddar to discuss how both the consumer and retailer are approaching shopping's busiest time of the year.
