Chloroquine

New insight into the top reasons for COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among underrepresented populations with rheumatic diseases was the top story in rheumatology last week.

The FDA has issued a warning letter to an online pharmacy for allegedly selling unapproved and misbranded drugs, including hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine, for the treatment of COVID-19, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and other diseases.

A systematic review of 161 studies showed a lack of conclusive evidence on the influence and safety of immunosuppressive drugs on male sexual health, according to a study published in Human Reproduction Update.

CDC data show that primary care prescribers were responsible for more than half of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine prescriptions dispensed at outpatient retail pharmacies between March and April in the United States.

Dispensed prescriptions of hydroxychloroquine in the U.S. increased 86.2%, while such prescriptions of chloroquine increased 158.6% from February to March 2020, data show.

Researchers from the University of Kentucky are conducting a clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness of azithromycin, ivermectin and camostat mesylate alone or combined with hydroxychloroquine in high-risk patients with COVID-19.

In late March, the FDA authorized emergency use of hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19. It later approved an abbreviated new drug application for the drug in response to a surge in demand.

Current evidence does not support the use of chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine — alone or in combination with azithromycin — to treat or prevent COVID-19 outside of clinical trials, according to practice points published by the ACP in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Despite a lack of trials demonstrating the efficacy of chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of COVID-19, promotion and use of the two treatments has led to shortages, self-treatment and fatal overdoses, according to a perspective published in The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. The perspective suggests that African countries “strongly consider” putting prescription monitoring programs in place to ensure that off-label use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine is appropriate and beneficial for the treatment of COVID-19.

A review of the available literature suggested that although preclinical results are promising, there remains little evidence supporting the use of hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine to prevent COVID-19, according to findings published in the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases.