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Thursday, March 28, 2024

hydroxychloroquine

Credit: WTVQ Lexington, KY
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hydroxychloroquine
hydroxychloroquine
drug to treat covid19

To control their pain...are having trouble finding it...after the president promoted it as a treatment for coronavirus.

Hydroxychloro quine is in trials, but hasn't been approved to treat covid-19.

It's mainly used for patients with lupus and rheumatoid arthritis...people whom abc 36's christy bollinger... reports are now worried about getting the drugs they need.

You'd probably never heard of anti-malaria drug...hydroxychlo roquine.

"this wasn't a drug that was widely used before this happened."

Uk college of pharmacy associate dean frank romanelli says currently, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis patients use it daily... to help with pain....but now, it's getting an awful lot of attention beyond that.

"it does appear to have some anti-viral activity so when the whole covid-19 came on the scene people were looking for drugs to test the logical thing was let's look at hydroxycloroquine."

Even though his own experts have cautioned against advocating for an unproven drug use... president trump has been claiming it cures the virus.

President trump - we've had some unbelievable results, unbelievable results, and it also gives the people hope.

Enough hope...there's been an increase in demand.

I spoke on the phone with pharmacists who say they're struggling to keep the drug on their shelves..

The demand is that great.

There are fears people might be hoarding it.

"we have seen across the country people trying to access the medicine and almost every board of pharmacy in the us including kentucky has put some restrictions on prescribing of the drug."

There have also been reports in other states of drug makers freezing refills for those who really need it...like those with lupus and arthritis.

If they can't get hydroxychloro quine...romanelli says their diseases won't be as well- controlled.

"it's controlling the pain associated with lupus or with arthritis and if they can't get access to the drug then their disease will flare."

He says hopefully, the restrictions placed around it...will make sure they never have to experience that.

Christy bollinger, abc 36 news.

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