With the search for a coronavirus cure, shelves are is clearing off chloroquine, as many believed this can cure the disease despite ongoing trials and studies about it. The surge in demand for this drug has affected patients suffering from Lupus or Immune System Disorder.
Several countries like Italy and France are allowing the prescription of hydroxychloroquine, which is the less toxic version of the malaria drug chloroquine. There is no actual evidence that it works in the trial, most of the patients cured are an exception. -EVIDENCE IS NOT ROBUST TO CONSIDER IT A CURE-.
Both Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine have been used for other viruses but did have good results. Dr Anthony Fauci called the result of using chloroquine as merely anecdotal, needing more tests.
Two prominent world leaders were misconstrued and statements not examined, President Donald Trump and Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil-based their recommendations on limited trials, called it a cure but in a conservative manner. To give the drug a chance in more trials, which cannot be called anecdotal efficacy.
Even Australian businessman and former Aussie politico Clive Palmer pledged money to pay for 1 million doses because it is needed for many cases.
Lupus patients are suffering and hurting without hydroxychloroquine
Sadly, the mad rush to get the drug hydroxychloroquine with prescription has left those with Immune System Disorder, without enough supplies of the drug. Leaving them vulnerable to the effect of Lupus and at risk for COVID-19.
The UK, Thailand, France and India, which has the biggest raw supply, has stopped exports to protect itself from COVID-19.
According to Paul Howard of Lupus K, "We started receiving inquiries from patients across the UK about a week ago. That's been rapidly increasing - more and more people each day."
About 90% or 60,000 suffer from lupus in the UK. They need hydroxychloroquine for their treatment to prevent their immune system, from making too many antibodies that might attack their kidneys, the skin, heart, lungs, and the brain which can can be fatal for them. There are no other drug than milder hydroxychloroquine to regulate their immune system or to avoid developing complications.
Howard added the stocks are off the shelves with no word when it will be restocked. Most of it was bought by those afraid of the coronavirus.
If normal people without lupus are at risk, more so are lupus sufferer who can die with their medication, or get infected with the COVID-19.
Unlike COVID-19, there are several anti-virals under study for it, but other immunosuppressants have toxic side-effects for lupus sufferers making it worse, and deadly at a COVID-19 infection.
Why should hydroxychloroquine be unsuitable for COVID-19 treatment
One of the earliest basis for hydroxychloroquine is a small and limited trial, which is not enough to justify its hoarding by countries with large stocks.
Dr Didier Raoult, a professor of infectious diseases who works at La Timone hospital in Marseille, produced a cocktail of hydroxychloroquine that worked on 26 people, but not a reliable system to verify its validity as a cure.
Dr Raoult was embroiled in a controversy that big pharmas do not want hydroxychloroquine. However, people lined up to test the drug. Later, the French government did allow it to be used for any COVID-19 patient. Other drugs like Kaletra are under global trials as well, but Italy is now allowing several unproven anti-COVID-19 drugs for their healthcare.
Italy has followed suit, their government announced on Friday that chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine could be used to treat all Covid-19 patients and paid for entirely by the Italian national healthcare system. It would also pay for Kaletra.
Lupus afflicted are on the bad end more than people afflicted with COVID-19
Dr Anthony Fauci, US government infectious diseases adviser, did not give any significant comment that chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine does work and this unproven Covid-19 link needs more testing, like other drugs.
It is costing easy access to lupus sufferers, the only drug that can keep their immune system from attacking their organs, and will weaken them for the coronavirus too, this unproven Covid-19 link.
