Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine for the Treatment of COVID-19 patients: What Every Clinician Should Know

The long-established anti-malaria medicines, Chloroquine (CQ), and Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) have been widely mentioned as potential treatments for patients with COVID-19 caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. This is partly based on preclinical studies that have demonstrated the antiviral potential of these two drugs. The potential advantage of CQ and HCQ is based on decades of experience with these drugs, their known safety profiles, and widespread global access. Regulatory authorities recommended their use in COVID-19 patients mainly in the context of clinical trials or following national protocols at the initiation of the pandemic in US. In this paper, we review the up-to-date information on the efficacy and safety of CQ and HCQ for practitioners in the treatment of COVID-19 patents.