Face of Nation International : Medical regulators in Canada suspect some doctors have been stockpiling drugs that are being tested as potential treatments for COVID-19 and are now warning them they can be sanctioned if they prescribe the drugs to themselves or friends and family.
The drugs in question — hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin — are among a number of medications being studied as part of a global effort to fight COVID-19. So far, experts say evidence of their effectiveness in treating the disease is thin. Hydroxychloroquine is currently used to treat malaria, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, while azithromycin is an antibiotic for infections caused by bacteria and can be used in treating bacterial pneumonia.
U.S. President Donald Trump touted the drugs as potential “game changers” in a tweet last weekend. Since then, the experimental combination of the two drugs has been widely discussed and debated online.
Spike in prescriptions
As a result, several regulators in Canada have reported a dramatic spike in prescriptions, including of another malaria drug, chloroquine. “Globally, there are reports of physicians prescribing chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine to otherwise healthy patients for prevention of COVID-19,” reads a directive from the Canadian Pharmacists Association issued Monday.
“This practice threatens the Canadian supply of these drugs and will prevent their use in the sickest patients, in whom the benefit may outweigh the risks associated with these medications.” (Source: CBC News – Canada)
