The federal government is stuck with 63 million doses of hydroxychloroquine now that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has revoked permission for the drug to be distributed to treat coronavirus patients.
The government started stockpiling donated hydroxychloroquine in late March, after President Trump touted it as “very encouraging” and “very powerful” and a “game-changer.”
But Monday, the FDA revoked its emergency use authorization to use the drug to treat COVID-19, saying there was “no reason to believe” the drug was effective against the virus, and that it increased the risk of side effects, including heart problems.
That leaves the Strategic National Stockpile with 63 million doses of hydroxychloroquine, plus another 2 million doses of chloroquine, a related drug donated by Bayer, according to Carol Danko, a spokesperson for the US Department of Health and Human Services.