Hydroxychloroquine pills. According to a study released on Tuesday, April 21, 2020, the malaria drug widely touted by President Donald Trump for treating the new coronavirus showed no benefit in an analysis of its use in U.S. veterans hospitals. There were more deaths among those given hydroxychloroquine versus standard care, researchers report.
There is no shortage of Hydroxychloroquine in India, informed Viranchi Shah, Chairman, Indian Drug Manufacturers’ Association, Gujarat chapter on Friday. However, the health ministry in an advisory earlier warned against the use of the drug without it being prescribed by a doctor for treating coronavirus. Meanwhile, informing about the stock position of Hydroxychloroquine, Viranchi Shah said the current production capacity of Hydroxychloroquine is 35-40 crore tablets a month which is 10 times more than our requirement. The demand for Hydroxychloroquine has suddenly surged in the world as several nations have requested India to export it stock.
The anti-malarial drug termed potential "game-changer" for COVID-19 by US President Donald Trump, but showed no benefit in treating patients with the disease in Veterans Health Administration medical centres in the US, says a study. In fact, the risk of death was found to be higher in those treated with hydroxychloroquine than in the group that included patients not treated with the drug, according to the findings published in the preprint repository medRxiv.
With coronavirus cases in the country on the rise, especially states including Maharashtra, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh being the worst-hit, Maharashtra minister Rajesh Tope said they have decided to use Hydroxychloroquine as a precautionary measure in some pockets like Dharavi of Mumbai.
In addition to that, following Centre's clearance, the state will soon conduct 75,000 rapid tests. In Mumbai, which has over 4,000 coronavirus cases -- the maximum in a city in India --- now have 326 containment zones in Mumbai while 447 are in buildings where the situation is improving quickly.
In another development on the use of Hydroxychloroquine, Max hospital will also test the use of HCQ among healthcare workers.
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