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.[ Sign up for our Health IQ newsletter for the latest coronavirus updates ]The move means that shipments of the drugs obtained by the federal government will no longer be distributed to state and local health authorities.