Return chloroquine to pharmacies

Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh is stressing that there is no basis to reports that chloroquine can be used to treat the coronavirus.

Deyalsingh made the comment during a media briefing at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s, on Monday, in which the panel said members of the public have been buying the medication in large quantities,creating shortages for those in need.

The drug is typically used to treat malaria, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Deyalsingh said there was no scientific evidence for claims that the use of chloroquine to treat the coronavirus

He warned that using it without medical advice could cause medical complications. He said people suffering from specific conditions were now vulnerable due to shortages and urged those who had bought the medication in bulk to return it to pharmacies.

“We have placed the three categories of patients at risk. Having chloroquine stored in your house, for which you have no use, for which you don’t know how to use it and if you attempt to use it, creates a danger to you, but it is now hoarded in your homes. “The three categories of patients – for malaria, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus – cannot access this drug. That is what panic and hoarding does. “I have reached out to the president of the Pharmacy Board this morning, Andrew Rahamut, to enlist his assistance to appeal to his membership to tell people who inadvertently bought this drug to return it to the pharmacies.”

He also personally called on pharmacy owners to avoid price-gouging, as it would be unethical, and urged them to “be their brother’s keeper.” He said there had been reports that the price of the drug had trebled. Deyalsingh said the drug could be fatal in some cases, citing the deaths of three people in Nigeria who tried to use it to treat the virus.

US President Donald Trump claimed at a White House briefing last week that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had approved the “very powerful” drug chloroquine to treat coronavirus.

Shortly after the briefing the FDA issued a statement saying it had not done so, but is still studying its effectiveness against the disease.

Trump has continued to urge people to take the drug, and said he plans to try it himself.