If you’ve followed the news and latest updates on the COVID-19 pandemic during the past month, you’ve undoubtedly heard of a potential treatment for the virus called hydroxychloroquine. The medication is currently being investigated to determine its safety and efficacy for treating patients infected with COVID-19.
Here’s what you need to know about this medication:
- It’s not FDA-approved to treat COVID-19—As of April 14, 2020, hydroxychloroquine has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat COVID-19. However, some patients are taking it under the supervision of their doctors. It’s important that no one take the medication to treat COVID-19 without being told to do so by their doctors.
- The drug treats three major health problems—Hydroxychloroquine is FDA-approved to treat three health conditions: lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and malaria. Its original purpose was to treat malaria, but after it was found to safely treat lupus and arthritis, it was approved to treat those conditions as well.
- It can cause serious side effects—Common side effects associated with the medication include headache, dizziness, diarrhea, stomach cramps, and vomiting. More serious side effects include blurred vision, heart disease, hypoglycemia, bleeding or bruising, muscle weakness, and more.
- It interacts with other drugs—Another potential danger associated with the drug is its risk of interaction with other medications. Patients taking certain heart medications, including digoxin, amiodarone, chlorpromazine, and more shouldn’t take it. It can also interact with insulin levels, diabetes drugs, antiseizure drugs, and immunosuppressant drugs.
The drug injury lawyers at Ferrer Poirot Feller Daniel are hopeful that effective treatments for COVID-19 will be discovered and approved for widespread usage soon, whether it’s hydroxychloroquine or other medications. And as always, we’re here to assist victims of dangerous and defective medications. Just contact us for a free consultation.