President Donald Trump has disclosed that he has been taking hydroxychloroquine for "a couple of weeks" as a preventive measure against Covid-19, contradicting repeated warnings from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about the drug's dangers.
The FDA has cautioned since April that hydroxychloroquine, approved for malaria, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis, should not be used for Covid-19 outside hospital settings or clinical trials due to risks of irregular heartbeats and other cardiac problems. Trump's physician, Sean P Conley, stated that after discussions, they concluded the potential benefit outweighed the risks.
Trump's admission came as he attacked whistleblower Rick Bright, who testified about pressure to endorse the drug. Trump claimed many frontline workers are taking it, despite studies showing no benefit and potential harm. The US has surpassed 1.5m Covid-19 cases and 90,000 deaths.
Dr Anthony Fauci has repeatedly stressed there is no conclusive evidence for hydroxychloroquine's efficacy against Covid-19. The FDA commissioner noted ongoing trials and known side effects, while Trump acknowledged a veterans study suggesting higher death risk for those treated with the drug.
