Wall Street Journal: Trump Claim That Malaria Drugs Treat Coronavirus Sparks Warnings, Shortages
“Health officials across the world are issuing warnings over the use of antimalarial drugs after President Trump’s comments about treating the coronavirus with them sparked panic-buying and overdoses. In recent days, thousands of consumers across Africa and South Asia rushed to stockpile chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, drugs that are usually used to combat malaria, vacuuming up supplies in cities in the developing world, sending prices skyrocketing and prompting panicked warnings from local authorities. In the U.S. and some other developed countries, meantime, some doctors have started to prescribe the drugs against the coronavirus, sparking heated ethical debates because their efficacy has yet to be demonstrated in full-scale clinical studies…” (Parkinson/Gauthier-Villars, 3/23).

Additional coverage of concerns over use of malaria drugs in COVID-19 pandemic is available from Bloomberg, Health24, and MedPage Today.