FOX 29's Jennifer Joyce reports. Excitement about treating the new coronavirus with malaria drugs is raising hopes, including with President Donald Trump.
But the evidence that they may help is thin, and a run on the drugs is complicating access for people who need them for rheumatoid arthritis or lupus.
Chloroquine and a similar drug, hydroxychloroquine, showed encouraging signs in small, early tests against the coronavirus. But the drugs have major side effects, one reason scientists don't want to give them without evidence of their value, even Yet those preliminary studies Some French doctors and politicians also are pushing to expand hydroxychloroquine's use.