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Thursday, May 21, 2020

Discussing the ethics of hydroxychloroquine prescriptions for COVID-19 prevention

Sharon Yoo
KARE11.com
Originally published 19 May 20

President Donald Trump said on Monday that he's been taking hydroxychloroquine to protect himself against the coronavirus. It is a drug typically used to treat malaria and lupus.

The Federal Drug Administration issued warnings that the drug should only be used in clinical trials or for patients at a hospital under the Emergency Use Authorization.

"Yeah, a White House doctor, didn't recommend—I asked him what do you think—and he said well, if you'd like it and I said yeah, I'd like it, I'd like to take it," President Trump said, when a reporter asked him if a White House doctor recommended that he take hydroxychloroquine on Monday.

In a statement, the President's physician, Dr. Sean Conley said after discussions, they've concluded the potential benefit from treatment outweighed the relative risks. All this, despite the FDA warnings.

University of Minnesota bioethics professor Joel Wu said this is problematic.

"It's ethically problematic if the President is being treated for COVID specifically by hydroxychloroquine because our understanding based on the current evidence is not safe or effective in treating or preventing COVID," Wu said.

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