The head of President Donald Trump’s Food and Drug Administration declined to say that hydroxychloroquine should not be used to treat the coronavirus.
The FDA revoked the emergency use authorization for hydroxychloroquine on June 15 and issued a new warning about the drug’s possible side effects on July 1, but Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn told NBC “Today” that it could still be prescribed. to treat COVID-19.
“I have to ask him about hydroxychloroquine,” said host Savannah Guthrie. “It is in the news once again. The president retweeted a video promoting it, even saying: ‘I took it for a period of 14 days and I’m here. I don’t think you lose anything by doing it. The vice president said yesterday: “Many Americans have had positive experiences with hydrochloroquine.” The FDA revoked the emergency authorization for the drug because it was not effective and it was not safe, it was potentially dangerous. “
“Once and for all, should people take hydroxychloroquine?” she added.
Hahn refused to contradict President and Vice President Mike Pence.
“To be clear, we revoked an EUA emergency use authorization, at the request of another government agency, BARDA (Advanced Biomedical Research and Development Authority),” said Hahn. “This was authorized for sick and hospitalized patients. We had data that when this medication was combined with others, there were some risks associated with that. But the question you ask me is a decision between a doctor and a patient. A doctor and a patient need to evaluate the data that exists. The FDA does not regulate the practice of medicine. That, in the privacy of a doctor / patient relationship, is where that decision must be made. “
Guthrie asked the FDA commissioner, who would be tasked with approving any potential vaccines, if he was concerned about misinformation about hydroxychloroquine.
“What I’m concerned about is that the FDA provides all the information on side effects, possible side effects and efficacy,” said Hahn. “As you know, these medications have been approved for several years for other FDA indications. We know they are safe in those settings. We want to make sure that the correct information is available to providers so that they can make this decision with patients. “
Should people take hydroxychloroquine? – @ savannahguthrie
It is a decision between a doctor and a patient. – @ SteveFDA. pic.twitter.com/moYGgHoSEJ
– TODAY (@TODAYshow) July 30, 2020
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