The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has urged that two malaria drugs, chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, being tested as potential Covid-19 treatment, must only be used for clinical trials or national emergency use programmes.
The agency highlighted serious side effects with the drugs, primarily with high doses or combinations. EMA warned against use without a prescription and doctor supervision, as well as prescriptions outside authorised uses except for trials or nationally agreed protocols.
In a statement, EMA said: “Large clinical trials are underway to generate the robust data needed to establish the efficacy and safety of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in the treatment of Covid-19. “EMA welcomes these trials, which will