Hydroxychloroquine Not Recommended For COVID-19 Patients Till Tests Show Positive Results, Says ICMR

New Delhi: The hype over hydroxychloroquine in the recent days notwithstanding, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said it will not recommend the drug for COVID-19 patients unless satisfactory results are seen during tests, The Hindustan Times reported.

“It is important to understand that this medicine is not mandatory. Whether it will reduce the infection, will be known only after tests. Doctors are still testing it on symptomatic patients. Until we get satisfactory results, we won’t recommend this to anyone,” said R Ganga Ketkar, scientist, ICMR as reported in The Hindustan Times.

Ketkar reiterated that India still has not reached the third stage of community transmission.

According to ICMR, hydroxychloroquine is recommended only to those asymptomatic healthcare workers involved in the care of suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 and asymptomatic household contacts of laboratory-confirmed cases.

Earlier, during a media briefing, Union Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Aggarwal had ensured that there will not be any lack of hydroxychloroquine as and when needed. 

On Wednesday, India cleared the export of hydroxychloroquine to specific countries.