Doctors Rate Hydroxychloroquine Most Effective Therapy for Coronavirus Infection

A global survey found that anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine was the most highly-rated treatment against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

This new survey completed by Sermo on March 27, 2020, reported 6,227 physicians in 30 countries found that 37 percent of those treating COVID-19 patients rated hydroxychloroquine as the “most effective therapy” from a list of 15 options.

Also, the survey of 6,227 doctors found that the most commonly prescribed treatments are 56% analgesics, 41% Azithromycin, and 33% Hydroxychloroquine.

Previously, a survey distributed on March 30, 2020, about 83 percent of independent pharmacists in the USA said ‘they should be able to dispense a limited supply of malaria drugs, as long the patient has tested positive ..... and is under a doctor's care.’

And, on March 23rd, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued emergency use authorization of Hydroxychloroquine for treatment of coronavirus patients. 

Previously available for “off-label” use, the FDA now gives hospitals and doctors emergency permission to use the anti-malarial drugs hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine to treat coronavirus patients.

Below is a summary of the findings from the Sermo survey:

• Hydroxychloroquine usage amongst COVID-19 treaters is 72% in Spain, 49% in Italy, 41% in Brazil, 39% in Mexico, 28% in France, 23% in the US, 17% in Germany, 16% in Canada, 13% in the UK and 7% in Japan.
• Hydroxychloroquine was overall chosen as the most effective therapy from a list of 15 options (37% of COVID-19 treaters).
• 75% in Spain, 53% in Italy, 44% in China, 43% in Brazil, 29% in France, 23% in the US and 13% in the UK.
• The two most common treatment regimens for Hydroxychloroquine were:  (38%) 400mg twice daily on day one; 400 mg daily for 5 days. (26%) 400mg twice daily on day one; 200mg twice daily for 4 days.
• Outside the US, Hydroxychloroquine was equally used for diagnosed patients with mild to severe symptoms whereas in the US it was most commonly used for high risk diagnosed patients.
• Globally, 19% of physicians prescribed or have seen Hydroxychloroquine prophylactically used for high-risk patients, and 8% for low-risk patients.

As of April 4, 2020, data sources indicate there have been over 1.1 million cases of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus reported by countries around the world.

Clinical data evaluating hydroxychloroquine is limited, and its efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 is unknown. Nevertheless, given the lack of clearly effective interventions and the in vitro antiviral activity against COVID-19 some clinicians are using it.  There are cardiac side effects among its side effects.

Moreover, there have been about 59,203 fatalities confirmed related to the COVID-19 disease during 2020.

SARS-CoV-2 outbreak news is published by Coronavirus Today.

Precision Vaccinations publishes COVID-19 therapeutic development news.