Brazil recommends hydroxychloroquine for children, pregnant women despite FDA's caution

Just after US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revoked emergency use of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 patients, Brazil said that y will w recommend use of anti-malarial drug to t only treat children but also pregnant women for early treatment of COVID-19. According to media reports, Brazilian health ministry held a press conference in Brasilia a few hours after FDA said it is “t advisable” to use hydroxychloroquine for patients infected with vel coronavirus and cited a latest scientific research. 

Hydroxychloroquine is one of most touted treatments by US President Donald Trump who t only called “Gift of God” but last month he revealed completing a dose of drug as a precaution from COVID-19. Despite concerns raised by health professions, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro had also said that he has kept a box full of anti-malarial drug at home for his mor. drug had emerged as hope for COVID-19 treatment when someone of patients in New York hospital had shown positive results. However, since n, multiple studies have claimed that drug has been causing more deaths among people infected with coronavirus. 

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Drug proves beneficial in Brazil, says minister

Despite controversial history of hydroxychloroquine, Brazilian Health Ministry official Mayra Pinheiro said in press conference that studies which have been cited by US FDA ‘cant be used as examples for Brazil or for rest of world’. Claiming that government’s responsibility is to protect lives in country by medication such as anti-malarial drug that has ‘proven clinical evidence to work’ and has shown positive results among varied circumstances in largest Latin American nation. 

Meanwhile, in a contrasting statement posted by Bolsonaro on Twitter on June 17, he said that FDA’s withdrawal of ‘emergency hospital use’ status of hydroxychloroquine actually “expands treatment” with same drug. He added that revoking that status will enable medical professionals to use drug as long as it is prescribed. However, FDA had said in its official statement that “We made this determination based on recent results from a large, randomized clinical trial in hospitalized patients that found se medicines showed benefit for decreasing likelihood of death or speeding recovery.”

Brazilian President, “Contrary to what Brazilian media reported, withdrawal of status of "emergency hospital use" by FDA actually EXPANDS treatment with hydroxychloroquine in USA, allowing use of drug, previously restricted, in any environment, as long as prescribed by a doctor.” 

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